Prongslet
by Japanime1
Summary: 3-year-old Harry Potter, a rare and powerful Elemental Wizard, is abused by the Dursley’s and is taken to be raised by his Godfather Sirius and Remus. I know this has been done before, but I believe this one to be quite unique.
1. Unexpected News

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own nothing. It's J.K. Rowling's Magical world. I'm just renting residence.

**Story Summary: **3-year-old Harry is abused by the Dursley's and is taken to be raised by Sirius and Remus. Even though the whole 'Harry raised by Sirius & Remus' themed stories have been done a good bit, I believe this one to be _quite_ unique…read for yourself and see. –Grins.-

**A/N:** I hope you enjoy this fanfic as much as I am/did writing it. Child Harry fics have always been an absolute favorite of mine. I accept criticism where it is needed, so please feel free to give it. -Smiles-

**NEW A/N: All chapters have been revised and edited, and perhaps even slightly changed to fit some of the things I needed them to fit for later. Nothing huge, so if you don't re-read you won't be missing out but for miniscule things, and if you do, m'sure it'll be a good memory refresher. :) Been gone a while, life has been hectic, and for all that I apologize profusely…but I am now officially back! **

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It had been two years since that fateful night in Godric's Hollow. Young Harry Potter had been sent to live with his Aunt and Uncle after the death of his parents; amid his Godfather's protests, that is. But as Dumbledore had said, "It was for the best."

The only reason Sirius Black had not been sent to Azkaban for betraying the whereabouts of the Potter's to Voldemort, was mainly because of Dumbledore. The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry who had given Sirius Veritaserum during an enforced court hearing. It proved the truth, even though it was not what many had wanted to hear. For as it turned out, the one who had _really_ betrayed the Potter's still ran free: the Potter's other long time friend Peter Pettigrew.

At this moment in time, however, Sirius Black and his only remaining friend (and fellow Marauder) Remus Lupin sat in Dumbledore's office waiting for him to explain why he had summoned them there. 24-year-old Sirius and Remus, being James Potter's best friends, were of course the worst affected by his and Lily's death. Remus and James had been close but Sirius and James had been like brothers, and for that reason Sirius had been dubbed Godfather to James's son Harry shortly after the child's birth.

Dumbledore sighed heavily as he stared at his former students. He knew he was going to be putting a lot of weight on their shoulders by asking them to do what he was going to ask them to do, but with what recently came to light…he had no other good alternative.

"Sir, is there a particularly _good_ reason for why you called us here?" Sirius inquired, slightly annoyed by the prolonged, uncomfortable, silence.

"I'm afraid there is, Mr. Black," Dumbledore replied gravely as his eyes came to rest on Sirius. The young man's annoyed expression changed to one of mild curiosity.

"Do either of you know what it means to be an elemental wizard or witch?" Dumbledore began, deciding this was the best way to approach the subject. Sirius perplexedly shook his head 'no', but Remus, on the other hand, nodded.

"Elemental Wizards are very rare. Only one or two are born every thousand years," Remus stated knowledgably. "An Elemental Wizard or Witch," He continued, recalling what he had learned about them in seventh year. "Will have much more power than any normal one. Their magical ability surpasses all others. Not only can they control certain elements, depending on their personality, but they also do not 'need' a wand to concentrate there magic, like we do, but can use one if they want," Remus finished thoughtfully, half-wishing their schooldays…of fun and learning – in his case – had never ended. Dumbledore nodded with a small smile at how much Remus had indeed studied in school.

"Why do we need to know this, sir? If only one or two are born every thousand years, it's not likely we'll meet one," Sirius cut in matter-of-factly.

"Well, Mr. Black, truth be told, it has come to my attention that one exist today," Dumbledore smiled, eyes sparkling. Sirius and Remus shared a look then returned their gazes to Dumbledore, interest and curiosity in their eyes.

"Voldemort has been after "Elemental" power ever since his school years, and for this reason, among others, he attacked the Potter's house in search of young Mr. Potter," Dumbledore imparted with a sigh.

"But why-" began Sirius, but Dumbledore continued as though he had not been interrupted.

"I know, _'now'_, that this was a major reason for him; for you see, I have just recently discovered that young Harry is in fact an Elemental wizard," the elderly wizard finished calmly. It took a good few seconds for these words to sink in.

"Are you saying…?" Remus asked incredulously.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied with a nod. The message had the effect the older man had predicted. Remus looked shocked while Sirius looked angry…justifiably so, Dumbledore knew.

"And you're letting him stay with those magic-hating muggles!" Sirius yelled as he stood up. "I told you James had wanted him with me. Now look who he's with! They won't understand him, they'll…they'll blame him for things he can't control! I can just imagine the trauma that could cause a child!" Sirius continued furiously.

"Sir, the prophecy did say Harry would have powers no other wizard had, but if Voldemort does know, than he'll be bound to come after Harry again," Remus cut in worriedly. "Not to mention, he probably told his remaining Death Eaters of his plan as they are still trying to find a way to resurrect him." Remus' words hit Sirius hard and he too was struck with the worry that had been usurped by his initial anger, so much so that he sat back down looking at Dumbledore expectantly.

"I know all of this. That is why _I'm_ worried, and also why Harry will be taken out of his relatives care immediately, for his own protection from their mistreatment as well as the dangers of Lord Voldemort," the blue eyed Headmaster stated sadly.

"…M-mistreatment?" both young men gasped, eyes widening as horrible thoughts of what the Dursley's might have done to their only remaining link to James Potter crossed their minds.

"Patience, you two, the Dursley's will receive their just reward. Do nothing foolhardy out of anger." Dumbledore told them firmly. Sirius looked like he wanted to say something, though thought better of it, and the two wizards nodded reluctantly.

"Where are you going to send Harry, sir?" Remus asked abruptly. Dumbledore smiled, eyes sparkling once more. "Well…I thought he'd be safest, well protected, and loved unconditionally, with his father's two best friends."

A shocked silence followed this pronouncement as the two men stared in amazement at their former Headmaster.

"That is, of course, if you two are willing to raise a child together, sharing the huge responsibility," Dumbledore continued, smiling, seeing as how they were at a loss for words.

Sirius and Remus looked at each other, grins spreading across their faces.

"If not I _could_ always-" Dumbledore began again but Sirius promptly cut him off.

"Of course we'll take Harry! We'd…we'd love to!" he said happily, without hesitation.

"I thought as much," Dumbledore beamed with a chuckle, eyes still sparkling. Remus' happy expression soon faltered as a worry-filled one took over.

"But…what about my condition? Sir…I could hurt Harry," Remus said anxiously, solemnly.

"The newly developed Wolfsbane potion will keep you in your right mind during your transformations, Mr. Lupin, and you may sleep in the basement of the house I have provided for the three of you in London. It is well protected with charms and enchantments. And please, you are no longer in school. Call me Albus, the older male implored. Remus smiled sheepishly, but merely Sirius grinned.

"When can we get him?" the dog Animagus asked excitedly.

"First thing in the morning. After I have put my finishing touches on this new house." Dumbledore answered calmly. Sirius and Remus smiled brightly.

"First thing tomorrow…" They echoed in unison.

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**A/N-NEW-2008**: I know this chapter was short but, I wrote it back when I was like…eh…14 or so, and I'm 18-going-on-19 now. xD Also, they get longer as you go on; slowly but surely. –Nods.- As it were, people keep telling me its worth the read, small chapters in the beginning or not, so I suppose you can decide for yourself. :-) Either way, my faithful readers will be glad to hear that I AM BACK! I can't promise too much, what with college and all, but I can at least promise that I am not dead, and will of course be continuing my favorite fic on a much more regular basis. :-) I'm aiming for an update every Thursday or Friday (circumstances depending) of each week for this fic, simultaneously with it's 'almost a must read' prequel 'The Beginnings'.


	2. Prongslet

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own nothing. It's J.K. Rowling's Magical world. I'm just renting residence. Heh.

**Chapter Summary: **Harry's rescue; Sirius and Remus' first encounter with Harry's Elemental Power.

**A/N:** Thank you all so much for your reviews. They are the best morale boosters. Siriusly! Thanks to that, I thought I'd post the next Chapter today, enjoy!

Chapter 2: Prongslet

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"…What if he doesn't like me, Moony?" Sirius asked his friend uncertainly, speaking up for the first time since the two had apparated to Privet Dr.

"He's Prongs' Son, Padfoot! Of course he'll like you!" Remus reassured him as they walked up the walkway of Number 4. Sirius gulped nervously and nodded…hoping this was going be another of those times where Remus was right. Merlin knew the bloke was rarely if ever wrong…most of the time to Sirius' annoyance.

Sighing, Remus reached out and rang the doorbell. Pounding, running, slamming, and angry shouts of, "Get in there boy!" could be heard before a fat purple faced man came to the door.

"Yes?" He demanded, annoyed at having visitors at this unearthly hour of 9:00 A.M. On a Saturday, of all days! Sirius, who did _not_ like this man (who wouldn't after what James had told him when the hazel eyed Potter and Lily had gotten back from 'trying' to visit the Dursley's shortly after their wedding?), got an extra feeling of foreboding as he glimpsed inside the house.

"We're here to see Harry, sir," Remus answered, always the politer of the two.

Mr. Dursley's demeanor changed instantly, now looking edgy and nervous rather than pompous and snobbish.

"H-Harry? There is no H-Harry here, sirs. …Good-bye," he stammered, hastily trying to close the door in their faces. Sirius, however, was quick to reach up and stop the door from closing, anger getting the better of him. These people _had_ done things to Harry, and now they were trying to hide it!

"Why, how dare you!" Mr. Dursley said, out-raged, still trying to close the door on them. Sirius whipped out his wand with his free hand - he wanted to get this over and done with sooner rather than later - and pointed it directly at Mr. Dursley.

"We know he's here, Dursley, and if I were you, I'd let us in before you regret not ever doing so," Sirius growled dangerously, sounding very much like a growling dog indeed. Mr. Dursley's eyes contracted with sudden fear at the sight of the wooden stick in Sirius's hand.

"Y-your one o-of…_them_," he stuttered knowingly, fear showing in his eyes. Sirius merely smirked, filled with immense satisfaction that Vernon understood the situation.

By this time, Remus had whipped out his wand as well and was also pointing it at Mr. Dursley.

"I'd move if I where you Dursley, you don't want to give Sirius _or _I more reason to hex you into oblivion than we currently have," Remus informed the man calmly, though Sirius noticed the faintly laced menace in his friend's tone. Mr. Dursley quickly backed away from the door, abandoning all hope of keeping the two wizards out, and ran for the kitchen.

"Careful, Moony, I think I'm rubbing off on you," the young Black grinned. Remus smirked at his friend.

"Don't fool yourself into thinking you're the only one who is mad at these Muggles, Padfoot," he replied truthfully. Sirius nodded understandingly. Of course Remus felt just as he did about the Dursley, but was just way better at not losing his temper. And with that, they entered the house.

All three Dursley's now coward in the kitchen as the two wizards searched every inch of the house. Not one picture of Harry hung on the walls, not one indication said another child even lived here beside that of the muggles themselves…and that was not helping the intensifying foreboding that was filling the two men. When they were sure they had checked every nook and cranny and had found nothing, they returned to the kitchen.

"Where is he?" Sirius demanded heatedly, trying to suppress his rising panic. The Dursley's seemed too frightened to speak.

"Fine, have it your way," Remus said coolly, controlling his anger and panic better than Sirius, but having it none-the-less. "Petrificus Totalus," he said, wand pointed at Mr. Dursley - who became as stiff as a board and fell face first onto the floor. Mrs. Dursley shrieked, terrified, as she covered her mouth, and Dudley fainted at the site.

"How unlike you, Moony!" Sirius acknowledged, teasing his friend good-naturedly, but wishing he, himself, had don't it first…if not something else or worse. "You need to show your skillfully hidden Marauder nature more often."

_He…deserved it_, Remus thought to himself, choosing not to reply to Sirius, as he turned to Mrs. Dursley.

"Tell us where Harry is, now, or the next spell won't be as kind," Remus advised the pale looking Petunia. She fell to here knees next to her son and husband fearfully, one hand still covering her mouth while her other shakily raised and pointed past the two men toward the staircase. They both whipped around, and for the first time, saw the cupboard that was inconspicuously located there. There seemed to be a faint whimpering coming from inside the small door. Sirius and Remus shared a last worried look, a last nod, and then rushed to the locked cupboard door and got on their knees in front of it.

_How could they do this to a child?_ Sirius thought furiously. _James's son no less!_

"Alohomora," whispered Remus, pointing his wand at the lock, and the door easily swung open.

There sat, arms around his knees, holding them to his chest, face buried in them, sobbing silently, was none other than Harry James Potter.

To say the least, Sirius and Remus were thunderstruck at the sight. The boy wore torn clothes, and had innumerable large and small bruises, cuts, and scrapes. From what they could see of the top of his head, he had raven-black hair that was extremely untied. If it was not for him being so young, they could easily have mistaken him for James Potter. The boy and his father would have been like twins if James where still alive. Harry was practically his father's clone!

Their chests tightened at the thought of their late friend and how this boy was going to be a constant reminder of him to them from now on - a comforting yet frightening thought at the same time –but…this was the last connection to James they had…and they were not going to lose him.

It was more than a little clear that Harry had been severely mistreated; it was all too easy to tell. A hatred rose in the two friends that they had not had since Peter Pettigrew escaped, but it was quickly overcome by the worry they had for their new charge. His welfare was what they needed to think of first, and they both knew that.

"Harry?" Sirius spoke gently, stretching out a hand to touch the boy.

The raven-haired child's head shot up at being addressed, eyes clouded by tears tried to find the source of the voice that he had never heard before, but landed first on the scary hand that was inching ever closer. Immediately, as though he had been hit, he recoiled from the 24-year-old's touch. The two men then realized that the boy's tearstained face and bright green eyes, shining with tears, were fearful.

_What did these Muggles do to you?_ They both thought to themselves.

Absentmindedly, though, they did notice the one thing of James's Harry did not have; the hazel eyes that always had a glint of mischief in them. He did not have the hazel eyes of his father but the emerald eyes of his mother, Lily Potter.

"It's alright, Harry, we aren't here to hurt you," Sirius murmured soothingly. This did absolutely nothing to un-tense Harry; on the contrary, he tensed all the more, as though expecting a harder blow than he had expected previously.

"The Dursley's won't hurt you ever again Harry, we're going to take you away from here," Remus said gently. Harry's looked at them incredulously. No one had ever spoken to him so softly before…well, only in his dreams. He wanted desperately to believe them, they seemed so nice, but…no, no one was ever _truly_ nice to him. He was a freak and it was only a matter of time before these men realized it and did the same to him that Uncle Vernon had. How could these men honestly be here to rescue him? It was not believable.

"W-who…w-who awe y-you?" Harry inquired, apprehension and fear evident in his young voice, as he slowly - close to reluctantly - released his knees.

"I'm Sirius Black, and this, here, is my good friend Remus Lupin. We were close friends with your parents," Sirius explained, smiling warmly, happy Harry was at least talking to them, albeit fearfully.

_Were they weally fwiends wif my mummy and daddy?_ Harry thought curiously. The raven-haired boy smiled slightly, uncertainly…almost shyly. Sirius and Remus smiled warmly back at him. Harry wiped his face on his sleeve, doing his best to rid himself of his tear, but wincing as though it pained him to perform the action. Both men reached out at the same time, concern causing them to act without thinking first. Harry instantly tensed again, eyes snapping tightly shut. Not a millisecond has passed when Sirius and Remus' hands felt as though they had just touched a wall of blazing hot fire, even though they had actually touched nothing at all, having never made contact with the young boy.

"Pwease…don't…don't hit me…" Harry whispered, pleading evident in his voice.

The two quickly withdrew their hands and looked at each other, shocked, for they recognized what had just occurred for what it actually was. Harry had just preformed Elemental magic. And a high level one at that, the Element of Fire was said to be the hardest to control…and the rarest to have.

"Harry…Prongslet…we would never, ever hit you," Sirius stated truthfully as he reached out again and gently cupped Harry's face in his hands. Harry wanted _desperately_ to lean into the touch, to allow himself to _trust_ enough to be comforted, but…he knew better. The young boy tensed against Sirius' touch and the canine Animagus felt that quickly becoming familiar burning sensation in his hands…but he refused to let go. He had to prove to Harry, to his Godson, that he was trustworthy. That he cared deeply for him.

He rubbed Harry's cheeks softly with his thumbs, soothingly, and finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he felt the emerald eyed boy relax slightly into his touch. Sirius could not help but smile softly. It was a small step, that it was, but a step…was a step none-the-less.

Harry slowly opened his eyes, which were shining with new tears, and looked into Sirius's bluish-gray ones as though searching for something. He wanted so _badly_ to be treated like this, but it seemed too good to be true. It _was_ too good to be true. Surely this was not happening!

"Remus and I love you Harry. More than you'll ever know. Please don't be scared of us," Sirius said almost pleadingly. Harry seemed to have found whatever it was he was looking for in Sirius' eyes for he unexpectedly threw his small arms around Sirius' neck and sobbed into his shoulder, body shaking something terrible with the heaves. Sirius wrapped his arms around the child's overly thin frame - oh…he wanted to _kill_ those Dursley's… - and hugged him comfortingly. Remus smiled at the sight of the two, fighting his _own_ tears that wanted to come to his eyes.

"Don't leave me…" Harry whispered quietly into Sirius' shoulder.

"Never," Sirius responded softly into Harry's ear. Harry tightened his grip around Sirius's neck as though scared of letting go, for if he did he felt it would all turn out to be a dream. Sirius kissed the top of Harry mess of black hair, picked him up gently - the boy tensed ever so slightly before relaxing again…being picked up…it was so…so _foreign_… - , and both men stood. Harry, who had never been treated so lovingly before could not help but love the hugs, kisses and being spoken to so gently. He wanted nothing more but to trust these two men completely and fully, but he could not help but still hold a certain amount of fear and cautiousness of them.

As they left the Dursley's house, hopefully for forever, the Potter heir fell into a well needed, peaceful, sleep in his Godfather's strong arms.

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**A/N:** Please review, it makes me want to update a lot faster. And thanks again to all who _did_ review! –Gives a cookie to everyone who reviewed-


	3. Magic is Real

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own nothing. Its J.K. Rowling's Magical world. I'm just renting residence. Heh.

**Chapter Summary: **Harry gets introduced to magic by wand.

**A/N:** As always, reviews tend to get me to update faster. I believe it works that way for all authors. xD Especially good reviews, so here's chapter 3.

Chapter 3: Magic is Real

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Sirius and Remus apparated to Hogsmeade and began their walk to Hogwarts, silence reigning between them so as not to disturb the sleeping raven-haired boy in Sirius' arms. Upon arriving, they proceeded directly to the hospital wing where Sirius laid Harry gently on one of the many beds, took off his glasses, and placed them on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Oh, now what is this? …Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin?" Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, inquired, surprise in her voice, as she bustled out of her office. Sirius sat down in a chair right next to his Godson's selected bed and brushed the boy's bangs out of his eyes affectionately, inadvertently revealing a little of his lightning-shaped scar.

_You look so peaceful and relaxed when you're sleeping…how long has it been since you've been able to sleep this calmly? _the blacksheep of the Black family thought to himself as he gazed at Harry's young and angelic-like face, hardly noticing Pomfrey.

Remus, who was standing, answered, "Harry, here, is not doing so well, Poppy, and we had hoped you could help him."

"H-Harry? Harry _Potter_?" she asked in amazement as she reached the foot of the child's bed and looked down at his sleeping form.

"Yes, ma'am," Remus confirmed. Madam Pomfrey nodded once - going into healer-mode, and quickly took out her wand and waved it over the boy.

"Yes…yes, malnourishment, many bruises, my lord! Cuts, scrapes, a cracked rib, dislocated shoulder, and a sprained ankle. My, my, who would do this to a child?" she mused as she looked at the readings her wand was giving her by the different colors it was changing.

"You got all that just by waving your wand over him and some colors?" Sirius inquired, astonished, looking up at her when he realized she was taking her wand out.

"It is a healer's wand, dear, very different from yours," she voiced absentmindedly as she continued to look at her readings.

"You_ 'will'_ be able to heal him…won't you?" Remus asked, concern evident in his tone.

"Of course I will…but it will take time to heal_ everything_. Some of the things I can do right now. Like a Healing potion for his shoulder, rib, and ankle, for instance, and of course Nourishment potions. He'll need many of those over these next few days. And I will also provide you with a salve to apply to his bruises for the rest of the week, until they heal completely. It will sting him, though, but it_ is_ the only way," She acknowledged with a hint of sadness.

Sirius and Remus nodded understandingly. She waved her wand over Harry again, muttering a few well-chosen words, and his cuts and scrapes closed and healed instantly. With that, she went to her office and brought back two potions: A lime colored one, and light blue-ish one.

"You'll have to wake him," She stated seriously, leaving no room for argument. Sirius nodded sadly and tenderly put a hand on Harry's shoulder, making sure that it was not the dislocated one.

"Prongslet…Prongslet, wake up, kiddo," Sirius said softly, not wanting Harry to wake up frightened.

"You can leave the potions with us; we'll give them to him," Remus whispered to Madam Pomfrey, knowing that seeing a_ new _stranger might scare the boy. She nodded reluctantly, handed Remus the potions, knowing he knew what he was doing, and left just as Harry sleepily opened his eyes.

Blinking a few times, and bringing his hands up to rub the sleep out of his eyes - wincing slightly at the action - , the world came into a blurry view for one Harry Potter. Only for a few seconds, however, for Remus took no time in placing the boy's glasses easily back on his face, bringing the world into a_ much_ clearer view.

"You're…still here," Harry said tiredly looking up at the familiar faces.

"Of course we are, Harry. We promised, didn't we?" Remus replied, smiling. Harry smiled sheepishly back, before he moved to sit upright, cross-legged, resting his hands on his knees.

"Where awe we?" the young boy asked warily - not wanting to ask too much…Uncle Vernon had always _hated_ being asked questions - as he looked around the room.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry. In the hospital wing, to be exact." Remus explained.

"A…Magic School?" Harry inquired, disbelief in his voice.

"Yes, a magic school, Prongslet. Remus, your dad, and I all attended here. Not to mention your mum," Sirius grinned proudly.

"Mummy and Daddy could do…magic?" Harry asked intently, unable to restrain himself.

"Yep. A Witch and Wizard, just like us," Remus admitted.

"…Me too?" Harry asked, eyes shinning hopefully. Something rare indeed.

"Of course you too, Prongslet!" Sirius assured with a laugh. Harry looked like he wanted to smile; his lips had twitched somewhat upwards, before a thoughtful look overtook his youthful features for a few seconds. A slight frown formed on his lips and he looked down at his hands, bringing them together in his lap.

"Uncle Vernon says magic isn't weel and that you'we a fweak if you do it," Harry murmured sadly as he nervously twiddled his thumbs. They were going to hate him now…he was sure. But, to his surprise, he felt one of the men lift his chin to look directly into their bluish-gray eyes.

"Magic is as real as you and me, Prongslet, and in no way are you a freak for doing it. We're special and unique, and don't you ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Especially if it was that sorry excuse of a man _Dursley_," Sirius said forcefully, desiring for Harry to understand, but with a certain amount of gentleness, none-the-less. Harry smiled slightly and nodded.

"Could…could you do some?" Harry asked tentatively.

"What? Magic?" Sirius replied as he stood up. Harry nodded vigorously; his emerald eyes alight with excitement.

"Easy!" Sirius grinned like a child as he took out his wand. "Accio Potions!" he said and the two potions in Remus' hand flew smoothly into Sirius'.

"_Wow_," Harry whispered in awe.

"You'll learn too, Harry. You'll come here when you're eleven, to study magic, with your own wand and everything," Remus smiled. Harry smiled up at them and both smiled warmly back.

"Am I…coming to live wif you?" Harry asked abruptly, looking worried all of a sudden. The last thing he wanted was to go back to the Dursley's now. If he were to go back after having left…oh…he did not want to think about that…

"That you are, Prongslet," Sirius declared, grinning happily.

_Do they…weally want me?_ Harry thought doubtfully, though a sense of enormous relief filled him at hearing Sirius' words none-the-less.

"Well, erm…wat swould I call you?" Harry asked, shifting nervously.

"Well, James used to call me Padfoot and Remus, Moony," Sirius contemplated thoughtfully.

"Ok..." Harry murmured softly with a small smile.

_Padfoot and Moony… _He mentally tested the names. Funny names…but he liked them very much.

"We used to call James, Prongs, hence the nickname Padfoot, here, gave you," Remus informed the young boy, who let the first _true_ smile he'd had in a _'very'_ long time creep onto his face as he leaned against his headboard tiredly.

"Now then, here you go, Prongslet. Drink these," Sirius instructed, uncorking the potions and handing them to Harry. The boy immediately did as he was told - not wanting give Padfoot or Moony any reason to think he was not thankful…like Uncle Vernon always said. The potions quickly went into effect, leaving Harry with a relieved countenance.

"Feeling better?" Remus inquired.

"A wot better," Harry yawned, amazed. "How-?"

"Magic, Harry," Remus said simply, and Sirius nodded.

"I think I'm going to wike magic," Harry replied sleepily as he laid back down. "Thank you…Padfoot…Moony…" the young child mumbled before sleep finally overtook him.

"No…thank _you_, kiddo," Sirius whispered softly as he ruffled Harry's hair affectionately and covered him up with his blanket. Harry smiled contently in his sleep and slept on.

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**A/N:** Please Review and tell me what you think. I've got a clear view of where I'm headed with this story but feel free to give advice and tell me exactly what you would like to see. It does help a lot. Reviews – equal - Next chapter so please do so if you'd like to see it sooner!


	4. Discussing Important Matters

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own nothing. Its J.K. Rowling's Magical world. I'm just renting residence...

**Chapter Summary: **Sirius and Remus have a needed talk with Dumbledore.

**A/N:** Thank you all for your supportive reviews, they mean a lot to me. And, as promised, they make me post the next chapter! :-)

Chapter 4: Discussing Important Matters

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Sirius and Remus reluctantly left Harry in the hospital wing to trudge up to Dumbledore's office. The aging Headmaster had once again summoned them, and they were once again sitting across from him in his spacious office.

"I hear from Cornelius that the accidental magic reversal squad was sent to Number Four Privet Drive this morning in order to un-petrify a certain Vernon Dursley," Dumbledore said amusedly as he looked at Sirius, who sighed resignedly and sat back in his chair.

"Don't look at _me_, Albus. I, contrary to what would be the popular belief, laid hand nor wand on those wretched muggles," Sirius stated matter-of-factly. Surprised, Dumbledore's gaze turned to Remus who smiled slightly.

"Well, this is unexpected, but I believe you had good reason did you not, Remus? Truth be told, I would have been very surprised had neither of you done _nothing _to the Dursley's." Dumbledore stated truthfully.

"Even after you specifically told us not to?" Remus asked, taken aback.

"Well…when have the Marauders ever _'not'_ gone against what _I _say?" Dumbledore inquired, eyes sparkling. "I thought it had to be written in your bylaws somewhere." Sirius and Remus couldn't help but grin sheepishly.

"But, enough about that. Let us get on with what I called you here for," Dumbledore continued, still smiling. "I spoke with Cornelius this morning, as you well know by now, and have convinced him the best place for Harry to be at this time is with you two. He was, of course, hesitant to the idea but once he was informed of the truth about how the Dursley's treated young Mr. Potter, and heard Mrs. Figg's account, he quickly agreed," Dumbledore finished.

"Mrs. Figg's account?" Sirius repeated, confusedly.

"Yes, Mrs. Figg is an old friend of mine who happens to be a squib. She lived in the area, so I asked her if she would keep an eye on young Mr. Potter for me, sending me reports from time to time. It was she who informed me of Mr. Potter's mistreatment."

"How would she know?" Remus inquired, genuinely curious.

"The Dursley's would leave Harry with her whenever they went out of the house, and she was able to see his cuts and bruises first hand. She knew, even though the Dursley's lied to cover it up, that Harry was being abused under their care. They hadn't even bought the boy a pair of glasses, even though it was obvious that he was hard of seeing properly. She ended up buying him a muggle store-brand pair herself, and insisted that the Dursley's let him keep them. Which they eventually did, tired of her persisting."

Sirius' knuckles were white from how tightly he had formed his hands into fists, anger flaring in his eyes, never good at hiding his emotions. Remus' amber eyes had flashed once while Dumbledore spoke, but he was much better at keeping himself under control.

"But, Harry is now under _your_ care, and I'm hoping that together you will be able to bring down the wall Harry has undoubtedly built around himself, thanks to the life he has lived. Again, Cornelius has been informed off all this, and also believes the best place for Harry is with the both of you. "

"Even with my lycanthropy…?" Remus asked softly.

"He was worried about that, but I assured him you would be under the influence of the Wolfsbane potion and would in no way or form harm Harry," Dumbledore reassured. Remus smiled gratefully.

"The Dursley's have agreed to freely give the custody of Harry to you both on the condition that they are not harmed by either of you and are not put on trial for the case," Dumbledore stated cautiously, not wanting to arouse an extra bout of anger at this moment in time. Sirius growled slightly but bit his tongue against saying anything.

"Are you…are you saying they aren't going to pay?" Remus asked, unable to control the hint of annoyance that found its way into his tone.

"As of yet, no, they will not pay for their crime. But do not think that they never will," Dumbledore said seriously. "No doubt their punishment will come in due time."

"But…on a different note…" The elderly wizard began going through the many papers that littered his desk. "Here is…" he continued as he still rifled through them. "Ah ha, the wizarding custody papers," he revealed what he had been searching for as he pulled out the official document. Sirius and Remus' solemn expressions changed rapidly.

"All you have to do to finalize all this is to sign right here at the bottom, both of you," Dumbledore confirmed, eyes sparkling once more, as he placed the official paper in front of them. Both men happily signed their names. They were going to give Harry the treatment and love he deserved; the two swore this to themselves.

"He's ours?" Sirius questioned gleefully looking at the paper, all thought of the Dursley's leaving his mind for the time being.

"All yours unless you are proven unfit…which I highly doubt," Dumbledore affirmed, smiling warmly at the both of them. Both men nodded happily.

"As you well know, Harry's parents left him a good deal of money for anything the boy might need…" Dumbledore began but Sirius quickly cut him off.

"We can use my money. I've got plenty more than I need, now that my mother finally snuffed it, and we should save Harry's for when he goes to school," Sirius said surprisingly…serious.

"That is, naturally, your decision. Either way should be fine. The boy could use some new clothes if I do say so myself, though," Dumbledore smiled.

"He'll have plenty…and…and toys, and-" Sirius began excitedly but Remus cut across him.

"Of course, I'll make sure Sirius here doesn't spoil the boy rotten." He proclaimed good-naturedly. Sirius glared playfully at his friend and glomped him on the head.

"I'm sure you'll both work out a balance. Now, all of your stuff has been sent to your new house. It is in a nice little town near London that is not highly populated, and has many trees. It is a Muggle town, as I believe having Harry in a wizarding town at this time could be a danger to him. Many Death Eaters _are_ still at large and are still searching for him, after all," Dumbledore explained. Both men nodded understandingly.

"As we have yet to know what Element or Elements Harry controls, you should not over react if you see anything that is classified as odd, even in magic terms. The last thing we need is for Harry to become scared of his gift," the Headmaster said earnestly. Sirius and Remus shared a serious look.

"We're pretty sure, sir, that one of Harry's Elements is fire," Remus informed.

"Fire…" Dumbledore repeated pensively. "Yes, I can see that…one of the hardest to control, though, for it is controlled mainly by emotions…" He voiced thoughtfully as he rested his chin on his steepled fingers.

"In any case, it must be encouraged. Elemental magic is very draining at such a young age so encourage, but don't push. In time it will become easier and easier for him to do," Dumbledore stated knowledgably. Both nodded again.

"I highly doubt Fire magic is the only thing Harry is capable of. Pay attention to him and his signs, go with his instinct, 'Sensing' is a known power among Elementals," He explained. Again both men could do nothing but nod, trying to take all this new information in, in one sitting.

"There is still a great mystery that surrounds Elementals so be open to anything that might come your way with Harry," Dumbledore finished just as his office door burst open and a panting Madam Pomfrey came in, looking beside herself with worry.

_Oh no..._ Sirius and Remus thought as they jumped up in concern.

"What is it, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked worriedly as he too stood up.

"H-he…he's gone. I-I can't find him anywhere!" she said frantically.

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**A/N:** -Sigh- A cliffy, I know, they sure are detestable, huh? But it wouldn't be a story if it didn't have any, right? Anyway, I'm going to try and answer a few reviews that stuck out to me as 'needed' to be answered.

1) Yes, Harry is only 3. But he is very mature for his young age due to the life he has had and the standards for which he has had to live up to.

2) Harry's powers will progress as the story moves on and you'll start seeing more of it as he grows. But as of yet he is wary of them and is hesitant to resort to them, that is unless he feels threatened. But with time comes change...

3) Now, I know the Dursley's are very easily hated, trust me, for I loath them. And I know you all most likely wanted them punished, which is something that has yet to happen and by the looks of this chapter (to you) won't happen. -Grins wickedly- No worries though, I have a plan for them…

Well, there you go. I hope that cleared some things up for you for the time being. Please Review! That way Chapter 5 can be out by tomorrow. -Smiles-


	5. Windy Day by the Lake

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own nothing. Its J.K. Rowling's Magical world. I'm just renting residence. Heh.

**Chapter Summary: **A worried Sirius and Remus look for their small Charge and Harry goes through doubt.

**A/N:** I was so busy today that I almost didn't take out the time to write this chapter, but I read the reviews and here you are…-sigh- Haha. :-)

Chapter 5: Windy Day by the Lake

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"What!?" Both Sirius and Remus almost shouted.

"I-I was just going in to check up on him and t-the covers were pulled back. H-His bed was empty and the hospital wing door was wide open!" She hurriedly explained.

Neither answered nor asked for more information from the concern-filled woman in front of them, before they dashed out of the office and down the spiral staircase.

"We left him, Moony! How stupid! After we _promised_ and _everything_!" Sirius rambled worriedly as they ran down the hall looking in every room on the floor, but finding nothing.

"Do you think he really believes that we actually _left_ him?" Remus asked perturbed, vainly hoping Harry had only decided to go for a nice walk around the castle, as they came to a stop in the Entrance Hall.

"He's _three_, Remus, and he hasn't exactly lived the most trust-filled life! We promised, and we left, he wakes up, and we're _gone_. What would _you_ think?" Sirius's reply came sharper than he had intended for it to. Remus actually flinched slightly. "Look, I'm sorry, Moony, I shouldn't have said it like that…it's just…"

"No, it's alright. _You're _right…we made him a promise, and he woke up to find us gone. Come on, let's keep looking. We've got to explain to him."

They checked all of the floors in the castle, including all the secret passageways that only _'they'_ knew about, but still found nothing. As they returned to the Entrance Hall for a second time, they ran into Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey.

"Nothing?" Remus questioned hopeful that he might be wrong. They all solemnly shook their heads 'no'.

_If anything happens to that boy, I'll never forgive myself,_ Sirius thought as he mentally hit himself. _How could I be so dense?_

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_-One hour before, while Sirius and Remus were still having their little chat with Dumbledore-_

Harry sat in the hospital wing bed scolding himself mentally. How could he have actually allowed himself to believe someone could be nice to someone like _him_? Yes, he had hoped - really, really hoped - that those two men could be different, but…once again, as always, he was proven wrong. For here he now sat in this bed, alone, and - in his opinion - abandoned. He should have known better, he knew…but Padfoot…Padfoot had been so _nice_, so _gentle_, and _kind_…and Moony had been the same…

He hated it…he hated it when he was pulled up just to be knocked back down again. Dudley used to do it all the time. He, Harry, with time and experience, had learned not fall for this kind of thing, but he had slowly begun to let those two get to him and now…now… He knew he would never be loved, just like Uncle Vernon always said, good boys are loved...and _bad _ones are not. But how he had so _wished_ that Padfoot and Moony's intentions were true…that now…now it hurt to realize the obvious. Which only made it that much harder to stop the tears that were gradually beginning to roll down his cheeks.

In the midst of Harry's anguish he saw something very strange sitting in the doorway of the hospital wing. It looked like a miniature half white tiger, half white wolf. It had shimmering snow-white fur with black strips and beautiful amber eyes. It was small enough to be a cub and to Harry it was the prettiest animal he had ever seen.

_Where did it come from?_ Harry thought to himself, emerald eyes gazing into amber.

Placing his attention on this odd creature, Harry wiped away the few tears that had found their way onto his face, pulled the blankets off him, and got down off the bed. He had always been fond of animals; they, to his knowledge, had never hurt or betrayed anyone. He had always sensed honesty and goodness around them, unlike Uncle Vernon.

_Now that I think about it…_ Harry reasoned as he crept slowly around his bed toward the creature. _I didn't sense anything bad awound Padfoot or Moony…_ he thought sadly, but was quick to push the feelings away. He did not want to think about that anymore.

"Here kitty…or awe you a doggy?" Harry questioned softly. The animal sniffed, waged its tail briefly, and then turned around, walking out of the hospital wing. Harry's curiosity got the better of him - where was it going? - and he decided to follow the 'thing'.

It led Harry down numerous flights of stairs, through various passages, and through uncountable corridors. So much so, that Harry was sure he would never be able to get back to the hospital wing by himself, even if he tried. But he did not mind...he did not really want to go back anyway. They might…send him back to Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, and that was the_ last _thing he wanted.

Besides…this was fun, like a game of follow the leader. Hesitant though he was when they reached the huge, open, front doors of the Entrance Hall, he followed the creature outside. It was a bright sunny day in June and there was a nice breeze flowing through the air. This was good because Harry was exhausted by the time they reached the lake, which was where the dog/feline creature decided to stop. Panting, Harry sat down on the water bank and tried to catch his breath.

"You'we fast…you know?" Harry panted, smiling as the 'thing' went and drank a little water from the lake. It turned back to face Harry and proceeded to lie down in front of him tiredly. The Potter heir tentatively reached out and petted the animal's fur.

_Wow, its so soft_, Harry thought serenely. The animal did not protest, on the contrary, it licked Harry's outstretched hand, which caused the emerald eyed boy to giggle.

"Hey!" Harry said, giggling as the 'thing' got up and walked around him, smelling him, only to laugh when it decided to lick his face. Harry rubbed it behind its ears and it promptly sat back down, laying its head on Harry's lap, almost purring.

"What's your name?" Harry wondered aloud as a strong breeze ruffled his jet-black hair. The 'thing' just continued to lie there, content, enjoying Harry's rubbing.

"How about…Amber? I usta know someone named Amber…before she moved cuz Dudley was mean to her fow being nice to me…" Harry stated sadly.

"But that was a wong time befowe now," the young boy amended, smiling again as he continued to pet the newly dubbed 'Amber'. A large shadow came over the Potter and 'Amber', covering the two of them completely…and Harry froze, his breath catching in his throat, fear immediately enveloping him…

"An' who 'av we here?"

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**A/N:** It shouldn't be hard to guess who that is…but that's beside the point. It took me some time to pick a name for 'Amber', there where too many names that could have gone for the purpose that she is in this story. In the end I hope that ambereyes2873 (whose reviews I really enjoy) doesn't mind that I used the beginning of hers as it fit perfectly, for reasons that as of yet cannot be mentioned. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think so far.


	6. Returned

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own nothing. It's J.K. Rowling's Magical world. I'm just renting residence. Heh.

**Chapter Summary: **Harry is found.

**A/N:** Yay for reviews! But I don't really 'need' to say that, as you already know how much I love them. xD So after, what, 24hrs of waiting? Yea, I think that's about right, anyways here is the next chapter. Typed and ready for your enjoyment.

Chapter 6: Returned

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Harry jumped up faster than a flash of lightning, causing 'Amber' to have to unwillingly get up, as well, from her once comfortable position.

"I-I'm s-sowwy…I d-didn't mean…" Harry stuttered as he backed slowly away from the colossal man. Imagine getting hit by one of _'those'_ hands!

"There, there! No 'arm done!" The man chuckled jovially. Harry, to say the least, was shocked. This man was not angry with him for having 'Amber', or for exiting the castle, _or_ for leaving the hospital wing.

_Or maybe...he just doesn't know_, Harry thought, deciding that must be the reason.

"Ah, you've found Whitie! I been looking all over for 'er!" The man said thankfully as he easily picked up the creature, who looked much smaller in the man's huge hands.

"Whitie?" Harry repeated doubtfully, an odd look crossing his face, surprising himself with his daring to speak his mind. He had stopped doing that a long time ago.

"Well, yea. Why? You don' like it?" the man inquired, smiling encouragingly.

"I…kinda…well…I named her Amber," Harry muttered looking at his feet as though fascinated by them. The man looked pensive for a few seconds then chuckled.

"Why tha's a great name! I'll call her tha' from now on," he declared smiling through his thick mass of black hair and beard. Harry looked up and smiled timidly; this man liked his opinion and did not get mad that he gave it? Weird…but nice.

"How 'bout we go and get some tea 'eh?" the man asked smiling warmly at Harry. The young boy nodded slowly, realizing for the first time that day how hungry he truly was. The man turned and walked toward a cabin not too far from the lake. Harry followed cautiously behind.

"Would ya mind if I asked your name? I don' think I've seen ya around these parts before," The man inquired when they had finally reached the cabin and he was putting some water to boil for the tea. Amber lay in a dog bed watching the two.

"H-Harry, sir," Harry said nervously, feeling bad that he had not introduced himself earlier.

"Well, Harry, the names Hagrid," Hagrid replied amiably as he finished making the tea and handed Harry a cupful along with a piece of cake he had bought in Hogsmeade a day ago. Harry had never been given cake before; that _could not _be for him. Dudley was the one who got cake. Harry just sat there as Hagrid sat down across from him and took a sip of his tea. After a few seconds the bearded man noticed the emerald eyed boy was not doing anything.

"Well, aren't ya going to eat any of it?" Hagrid asked surprised. Who did _not_ like cake?

_This is really for me to eat? All of it? _Harry thought as a small smile graced his lips.

"Go on," Hagrid reassured smiling back. Harry did as he was told, - like he always did – and sipped his tea and ate his piece of cake as Hagrid did the same across from him - although Harry did so much slower than Hagrid did; savoring every taste. It was delicious. Like nothing he had ever had before, for he was never allowed to eat anything that was sweet. He had been able to drink tea, but the cake made it all the better.

Harry was wary of Hagrid still, but Amber was okay with Hagrid, and Harry was going to try and be okay with Hagrid too. Especially since he was so nice.

"She's pretty ain't she? Mix breed, only one of her kind. Not supposed to have her, tell you the truth. But she don' hurt, see, she's as sweet as an angel," Hagrid explained gazing fondly at Amber. Harry nodded his agreement. A few minutes passed in silence as they both finished their teas.

"T-Thank you," Harry said gratefully.

"Anytime."

Harry had a lot of questions, about Amber, about magic, about this school, but decided against voicing them. No matter how much he wanted to be okay with Hagrid, truth was he knew less about him than Padfoot and Moony, which said a lot.

"So…not to be rude or intrudin', but…are you supposed to be out and about on the grounds?" Hagrid inquired curiously once they were done.

"I'm…saposed to be…in the howspital wing. But, I don't know where that is," Harry answered, truthful even though he did not want to be. He did not want to go back.

"That's fine, I can take ya there," Hagrid reassured as he began picking up the dishes. Harry sighed resignedly. He was going back. It was for the best he supposed, but…where would he go from there? Would Padfoot and Moony come back?

_Don't get your hopes up_, Harry told himself sternly. _They have better things to do…_

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_-15 minutes later-_

Hagrid had let Harry say his good-byes to Amber and had then proceeded to walk the curiously sad boy back to the castle and up to the hospital wing. Hagrid had instructed Harry to lie back down and to try to rest. And after doing so, Harry's long day quickly caught up with him and sleep claimed him before Hagrid had even reached the doorway.

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"Hagrid!" Dumbledore greeted as the giant man reached the entrance hall where Sirius, Remus, McGonagall and Pomfrey now irresolutely stood.

"Hello, Professors, Sirius, Remus, Poppy," Hagrid replied with a nod as he reached them, barely noticing the grave looks on their faces.

"Might I ask where you were?" Dumbledore inquired politely, as only he seemed capable of speech.

"Oh, I was just in the hospital wing, returnin' one of Poppy's getaways, sir," Hagrid answered smiling, oblivious to the state they all believed they where in. There was a stunned silence before Sirius and Remus dashed up the many flights of stairs toward the hospital wing.

"That's…very good to hear, Hagrid," Dumbledore said smiling in a relieved and amused way, eyes sparkling once more. Madam Pomfrey quickly followed after the worried men, toward her patient, leaving McGonagall and Dumbledore to deal with Hagrid.

"Albus. Hagrid," McGonagall said looking a great deal calmer, turned, and proceeded back to her office, hoping beyond hope that this did not happen again. It could not be good for her blood pressure.

"Am I missing something here, sir?" Hagrid asked confusedly.

"Ah, Hagrid," Dumbledore sighed, patting the man's arm apologetically. "Come, we have much to discuss," he stated tiredly as he led a bewildered Hagrid to his office.

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**A/N:** We'll see Amber again later in the story, but not for a good few chapters. Her true role will come much later; she just needed to be introduced early on. Anyway, I'm really glad you all like this story. When I began it I was sure no one would like it, but here you are. –Smiles- Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and review. That way Chapter 7 can be out by tomorrow as usual.


	7. Forgiveness

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own nothing. It's J.K. Rowling's Magical world. I'm just renting residence. Heh.

**Chapter Summary: **Sirius and Remus are reunited with their Young Charge.

**A/N:** Hey guys. I'm sooo sorry about the long wait for this chapter! We had a big thunder storm here with scattered tornados and my power was out for days! –Sigh- The tragedy, eh? But I'm back online and with this long awaited chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Forgiveness

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Hagrid had not told them whether Harry was alright or not, but then again, they had not stuck around after hearing the news to actually 'ask'. So to say that Sirius and Remus where relieved to see Harry alive and well in the hospital wing would be the understatement of the century. Sirius wanted to wake him and apologize profusely the moment he reached the raven-haired boy's bedside, but thought better of it.

_He should probably get some sleep _He told himself.

Madam Pomfrey was in there about fifteen seconds after them and was at the foot of the bed in a flash. They both looked at her as she quickly took out her wand and waved it over Harry for the third time.

"Thank goodness," she sighed after an unnerving silence. "Everything but the bruises and the malnourishment seem normal. He can take another Nourishment potion in the morning, and I'll send some with you when you leave, as well as the salve for Harry's bruises. He most likely would rather a familiar person do it than me," she told them with a sad smile. Remus nodded, knowing it to be true.

"When _can_ he leave?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Tomorrow, most likely," she answered, pondering slightly, before returning to her office. Sirius and Remus slipped into chairs on either side of Harry.

"He's ok," Sirius sighed, more than extremely relieved.

"Physically, anyway," Remus interjected. Sirius nodded sadly. After that both men fell silent, absorbed in their thoughts. For there was _a lot_ to be thinking about, but most important was that of how to regain what little of Harry's trust they had initially had.

How long they watched Harry sleep, neither knew. But it was not long until they fell into an uneasy sleep themselves. The exhaustion of the day's events - especially the running about the castle - had finally gotten to them.

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When Harry awoke, it was very dark. He was used to the dark, however, and would have been fine with it, if it was not for the fact that there was breathing on either side of him, alerting him to the presence of people in the room.

He knew he was not supposed to. That Uncle Vernon had forbidden him from ever doing anything of the sort - and that if he were to be caught he would most likely regret it greatly. But Uncle Vernon was not here and he _'did'_ need to be able to see who was there. So he sat up quietly, cross-legged, brought his hands together softly in front of him and then cupped them, revealing a small flame, born from his hands. Harry smiled to himself softly as it lit up half of the hospital wing, but gasped with surprise at seeing who exactly was sitting, asleep, on both sides of him. The fire was quickly extinguished plunging the room into darkness again.

_Padfoot and Moony…they came back! _Harry thought as his mind reeled with thoughts.

_Have they weally come back fow me? Maybe I was wong and they didn't 'leave' they just had to use the potty or something… _Harry thought hopefully.

_Or…maybe they'we just here to tell me they've changed their minds and want to send me back…_ Harry thought anxiously, balling up his blankets in his small fists. His mind jumped back and forth with good reasons why they could be there and bad reasons why they could be there. Had he been wrong or had he been right? He had mixed feelings and was extremely confused. But before Harry had more time to ponder on it, Sirius began to stir...

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Sirius did not know what woke him, but he half wished it had not. He had been having a good dream about old times with James and Remus at school, but, none-the-less, it could not be helped, and here he was. The Black blearily opened his eyes, just to be greeted immediately by darkness. Rubbing the sleep from his bluish-grey eyes he vaguely wondered how long he had been out. Desiring to check-up on Harry, he took out his wand and tiredly muttered,

"Lumos." The little area around him lit up as his wand's tip ignited.

_Moony's out cold by the looks of it, and Harry's up, _Sirius thought casually, as he was still not fully awake. _Wait…what?_ Sirius thought, surprised, almost saying it out loud. He quickly sat up straighter in his chair, fully awake now, and gazed at Harry, who, at the moment, was eyeing him warily…almost as if frightened. Sirius instantly felt a pang of guilt for leaving Harry alone yesterday, and, by the look in his Godson's emerald eyes, how it had affected him. He knew that by unintentionally breaking their promise, Remus and he had loosened considerably the already extremely loose thread of trust Harry had had in them. But Sirius desperately hoped that Harry's trust in them had not been severed, and that maybe with work, they could fix it completely.

"Hey, Prongslet," Sirius greeted softly, choosing his words carefully. "I'm really glad you came back, kiddo," he admitted truthfully, smiling somewhat. It seemed that had not been what Harry had been expecting Sirius to say for he looked surprised.

"You…you awe?" Harry questioned disbelievingly.

"Of course! We were going _crazy_ looking for you. You have no idea how worried we were. We thought we'd _lost_ you," said Sirius, sadness in his tone.

"You'we…you'we not…mad?" Harry asked, amazed.

"Why would I be?" Sirius answered smiling.

"Well…I left," Harry stated, wondering how Sirius could _not_ be mad about something like that.

"And you had a very good reason, Prongslet. We had needed to talk with somebody and you were asleep. We didn't think it would be nice to wake you up so we just left and thought we'd get back before you awoke. Obviously, what we should have done was tell you, that way it wouldn't seem like we had broken our promise of not leaving. Because we would never do that to you," Sirius explained sincerely, willing Harry to believe him. Harry looked deep in thought as though different feelings were conflicting with each other. Then he looked back up a Sirius.

"You didn't mean to bweak your pwomise," Harry repeated softly, hope shinning in his eyes.

"No, and I'm so sorry, Prongslet, if you thought we did," Sirius replied honestly. Harry smiled. No one had ever apologized to him before. …Ever.

"Will you ever forgive me?" Sirius asked, wondering anxiously if Harry would. The young emerald eyed boy pushed his blankets off, got up on his knees on the bed, and hugged his Godfather, whose chair was right next to his bed.

"I fowgive you, Padfoot." Harry whispered. Sirius hugged Harry back, smiling, and brought the small boy into his lap on the chair. Harry tiredly rested his head on his Godfather's chest as Sirius hugged him to him. Harry could not help but feel safe in his Godfather's arms. He knew now that Sirius would never 'purposely' hurt him. The two fell into a peaceful silence as Harry soaked up the feeling that was that of being held. Harry, who was usually never hugged, could not help but love the feeling of it. Of being…loved, and cared for. Padfoot and Moony had actually been worried about him! No one had ever worried about him before. Harry did not know how or when he would pay them back, but he would. He promised himself that.

"…I love you, Padfoot," Harry murmured sleepily, eyes drooping.

"I love you too, Prongslet. You don't know how much," Sirius replied, voice choked somewhat, and kissed the top of Harry's unruly black hair, holding the small child close to him.

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**A/N:** How'd you like it? I thought some Sirius-Harry bonding would do well here. Harry may be cautious of them but at least he trusts them, which I believed was necessary. Sorry, again, for not updating sooner, but at least you didn't have to wait a month, right? x.x I know how that can be, it happens to me all the time with my favorite stories. –Sigh- Anyway, review please and I'll go put my finishing touches on the next chapter.


	8. Home Sweet Home

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own nothing. Its J.K. Rowling's Magical world. I'm just renting residence. Heh.

**Chapter Summary: **Harry is taken to his new home by his Guardians.

**A/N: **I've been going through finals these past two weeks, so please forgive the late update. Enjoy!

Chapter 8: Home Sweet Home

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The next day, Remus was the first to wake - he usually was -, just as the sun's gleam began to enter in through the windows. His back felt slightly stiff from having slept in a chair all night, but it was nothing he could not live with for a few minutes. He did not fail to notice that Harry's bed was empty, that being the first thing he looked at, but, of course, it did not take him long to locate the young boy. The sight he was met with brought a smile to Remus' lips. Harry, in a peaceful sleep, in his Godfather's arms, who, needn't be mentioned, was also asleep.

_I take it those two had a little chat without me_, Remus thought, sad, yet happy at the same time as he gingerly stood, not wanting to wake them just yet. Maneuvering around his chair, he quietly proceeded toward the back of the ward, where the door to Madam Pomfrey's office stood ajar. He knocked softly, alerting the older woman to his presence, before entering, finding Madam Pomfrey writing something down on a piece of parchment.

"Morning Poppy, sorry to bother you--" Remus began politely, but the school nurse cut him off, smiling as she stood.

"Of course you're not, Mr. Lupin. You're here to ask whether or not Mr. Potter may be taken home," she stated knowingly. Remus smiled guiltily.

"You've got me on that one," he conceded.

"Well, I won't keep you waiting. I've just written the instructions for his Nourishment Potions dosage, and make sure to follow them to the 'tee'. They should do their thing in a week's time, and he shouldn't need anymore if you feed him properly. As for the bruises, the salve should clear those up in one go," she said placing the note in a bag with seven vials of potions, and a small container of salve, then handed it to him.

"Thanks, Poppy," Remus replied gratefully as he received the bag.

"You're very welcome. Let's just hope Mr. Potter is completely healed soon…and I don't just mean physically," she sighed knowingly. Remus nodded, he sincerely hoped the same.

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot. The potion you're to give him before leaving," she recalled, retrieving it from a cabinet above her desk, and handed it to him.

"Thanks, again, Poppy," Remus said smiling.

"Oh, enough of that, Mr. Lupin, and run along. Don't want to waste the morning away now do you?" she asked, smiling warmly at him. He had been one of her favorite patients, not to mention one of the most that had spent time in the hospital wing during his days at school…almost as much as James and Sirius.

"Right," Remus smiled sheepishly back before turning to go.

"Oh, and, Remus..." she called as he reached the door. He curiously turned back to face her.

"Good Morning to you, too."

Remus nodded, smiled once more, and exited. When he came out into the ward he found not only Sirius awake - which was a rarity in and of itself this early in the morning - , but Harry as well. Harry, sitting on his bed, and Sirius, at the foot of it, talking.

"How can you _weally_ know?" Harry asked.

"Because I've known him all my life, Prongslet, and he cares about you just as much as I do. I'd trust him with my_ life_. He's just out doing something, that's all," Sirius reassured the boy just before noticing the nearing Remus.

"Moony! See, kiddo? What'd I tell you? No worries," Sirius said with a grin. Harry smiled embarrassedly at Remus before lowering his emerald eyed gaze to his hands that rested in his lap.

"Morning, Harry, Padfoot," Remus greeted, smiling.

"Got food in that bag, Moony?" Sirius inquired as he stood up, his stomach growling.

"Sorry, Siri. Just the Potions and the Salve Poppy said she'd give us," Remus replied apologetically, causing Sirius to sigh exasperatedly, which in turn caused Harry to look back up at the two.

"But I'm hungry," the black haired dog Animagus whined. Harry giggled at this display.

"Oh, you find that funny do you?" Sirius remarked with a playful glare. Harry nodded, still giggling.

"Anyway, ready to go to your new home, Harry?" Remus asked, turning to his young charge. Harry, actually looking happy for the first time since they rescued him, stopped giggling and nodded vigorously.

"Uh-huh!"

"Good, because I'm starving, and knowing Dumbledore, there'll be some food to make already there," Sirius said with a knowing glint in his eyes.

"Is food all you ever think about, Padfoot?" Remus asked, rolling his eyes.

"No…I think about…lots of other stuff," Sirius mumbled, shifting his gaze.

"Sure, if you say so. Here, Harry, drink this," Remus instructed uncorking the one potion and handing it to the boy - who drank it obediently before setting the vial down on the night stand.

"Great, now can we go?" Sirius pleaded, stomach growling again.

"Ok, fine, let's go," Remus sighed. Sirius grinned again, and picked Harry up, happily. The small boy tensed ever so slightly at the sudden action, but soon relaxed again…all something Sirius did not fail to notice. He despised the fact that Harry's only knowledge that had to do with 'touch', thanks to the Dursley's, was that of being 'punished'.

_We have to change it, we have to help Harry understand that touch is not meant for hitting…it's not something scary…it's…oh, Harry… There are so many things you don't know…_

The three left the hospital wing - for the last time, both men hoped - , and proceeded down the many flights of stairs to the entrance hall.

"Is it far?" Harry inquired curiously.

"It would be...if we were driving," Remus answered.

"We'we not dwiving?" Harry asked, confusion evident in his childish voice.

"Of course not! Why would we do something so…muggle-like?" Sirius responded with his bark-like laugh.

"Muggle?" Harry repeated, perplexed. He had never heard 'that' word before.

"Oh, yeah…you don't know. It means someone who's not a witch or wizard," He explained easily.

"Oh. So…how are _we_ getting there?" Harry asked again.

"We're going to apparate."

"Oh…" Harry sighed, feeling more confused than when the conversation had initially begun.

"You'll see." Sirius reassured as they exited the castle and crossed the grounds toward the anti-apparition wards. Harry watched the huge castle as they walked, wondering vaguely if he would ever see it again before he turned eleven. Whenever _that_ would be…

"Ready?" Remus questioned once they had past the wards. Harry nodded, expecting anything but what truly _was_ to occur when one 'apparated'. It happened in a second of whirls of color and light, of being pressed in on from all sides, of breath hitching in his chest and being unable to reclaim it, and to Harry it was anything but fun, causing him to hold on to Sirius as if his very life depended on not letting him go. By the time they reached the secluded house in the woods, on the outskirts of the small town, and the effects of apparating were officially gone, Sirius found himself in a strangling vice-grip, his Godson sobbing into his shoulder.

"Harry! Oh, I'm sorry, kiddo. I should have told you what to expect," Sirius soothed as he rubbed young boy's back in a circular motion. After a few minutes, Harry began to calm, sniffling here and there. And to Sirius's delight, the raven-haired child gradually released him of the vice-grip that had been threatening to choke him to death.

"You ok?" Sirius inquired gently. Harry nodded slowly.

"Yea…I'm okay..." he said, sniffling still. Remus and Sirius smiled reassuringly at him.

"Want some good news?" Remus asked grinning.

"What?"

"We're here."

And the first _true_ smile graced Harry's innocent face as he looked upon, for the first time, the place he would now call home.

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**A/N:** Another chapter done. How do you guys think its coming? Please review and tell me what you think. Thankies!


	9. Full Breakfast

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, know nothing, hear nothing. If I say I do they'll be on to me…

**Chapter Summary: **Harry's first day in his new home.

**A/N: **Done with finals! Yay! Done with HSAP, -Sigh- Thank God. Hehe. Anyway here is the long awaited Chapter 9.

Chapter 9: Full Breakfast

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One step inside the house and they could tell it was Dumbledore who had set it up. It was spick and span, fully furnished. The front door led to a spacious living room with a sofa on one side, a recliner on the other, and a rectangular coffee table in between. On the far left side was the fireplace along with a muggle television in the bottom left corner of the room. On the far right was an open doorway that led to the decently sized kitchen. Said kitchen came complete with a square table and all the need muggle appliances, including a refrigerator - which was charmed to refill itself with whatever was needed by the opener, compliments of the Headmaster…he did often tend to go a little overboard… - stove, oven, microwave, coffeemaker, and sink. On the north right of the living room was a staircase that led upstairs to three bedrooms and a full bath. Behind the stairs was the door that led down to the basement.

"Wow," Harry sighed in awe as Sirius gently put him down on the living room floor.

"You can say that again," Sirius agreed, eyes wandering.

"…Wow?" Harry offered, which earned him chuckles from his two guardians…even though he, himself, did not understand why. But it did help him to feel more at ease, that's for sure.

"Can we see the rest?" Harry asked only a slight timidity noticeable in his voice, for he was beginning to see that these two, very much unlike Uncle Vernon, did not mind being asked questions.

"Sure, Harry," Remus replied kindly, offering his hand to the small boy. Harry uncertainly took it, comforted by the simple gesture, and allowed Remus to lead him through the basement, kitchen, and then finally the second floor landing. All the while Sirius following behind the two, smiling at Harry's every reaction to the small tour.

"You go look, and pick whichever one _you_ want," Remus whispered softly as he bent down to Harry's level, released the small hand he had had in his own larger one, and nodded toward the rooms down the hall. Harry's emerald green eyes seemed to brighten as the trademark 'Potter' grin spread across his youthful face.

_A room for 'me'? A real 'room'? No cupboard?_ Harry thought, amazed, as he looked up at Sirius as if for conformation that he also agreed with what Moony had said, who also nodded, then turned and walked down the hallway looking into each room. In the end Harry chose the last room at the end of the hall on the left, then there was Sirius's room on the right, the bathroom on the left, Remus's room on the right, and then the stairs. Remus and Sirius's clothes and belongings were already in their rooms, also compliments of Dumbledore.

"What do you say to improving this room a bit?" Sirius inquired as he began rolling up the sleeves of his robes, gazing around the room, and whipped out his wand.

"By magic?" Harry wondered out loud.

The room was not 'big', per se, but it was not small either. It had a full sized bed, the headboard against the opposite wall from the door, underneath a decently sized window that presented a wonderful view of the woodland that surrounded their house, a nightstand on the left-hand side of the bed, complete with lamp, a dresser against the right side wall, the closet door on the left side wall, a desk to the left of the door, and a trash bin to the right of it.

"Course. Now let's see…" Sirius said contemplatively, before waving his wand once and changed the room's color to the traditional red and gold Gryffindor colors. Gold being the main coated background, with little red lions scattered over it, moving about and opening their mouths in a silent roar. Harry gasped in surprise, he knew magic existed by now, but he was still not entirely used to it being done with a wand…and done so…incredibly. Sirius waved his wand again, changing the plain bed sheets to Quidditch ones, representing the Gryffindor Quidditch team, covered in Brooms, Quaffles, Golden Snitches, and Bludgers.

"How's that?" Sirius asked with a grin.

"It's…wow…" Harry said breathlessly, unable to stop the smile that was tugging at his lips as he soaked it all in.

"Couldn't be anything less if it was done by the one and only _'me'_," Sirius stated portentously. Remus rolled his eyes.

"You've really got to learn to grow up, Padfoot," Remus commented, shaking his head.

"What would be the fun in that?" Sirius countered, smirking.

"I'm going to go make breakfast," Remus sighed, ignoring his friend, before he exited the room.

"'Bout time, I'm starving!" Sirius called after him.

"I never said I was going to make _your_ breakfast. I'm making Harry's," Remus called back. Sirius opened his mouth to retort, but thought better of it, and closed it again before turning back to Harry, who looked at him perplexedly.

"Is Moony…mad?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"Oh, no, he's not Prongslet. We go through this all the time. It's all in good fun," Sirius explained. Harry nodded bemusedly.

"Here, why don't you play for a bit while I go and plead Moony to cook my breakfast too, okay?" Sirius offered as he waved his wand for the third time, and a toy chest appeared filled with wizard toys at the foot of Harry's bed.

"I…_I _can pway with these?" Harry inquired, astounded.

"They're yours, Prongslet, of course you can!" Sirius smiled. Harry walked slowly, almost dreamlike, toward the chest near his bed.

"I'm gonna go talk to Moony, I'll come get you when the foods done, alright?" Sirius asked again. Harry nodded, as he sat down in front of the chest and opened it tentatively, revealing the many toys, and smiled widely. Sirius, also smiling, proceeded to exit the room. He was just outside it when Harry whipped around, still on the floor.

"Thank you, Padfoot."

"You deserve it, kiddo." With that, Sirius went downstairs, and Harry returned to his toy chest.

"For me…" Harry whispered to himself, still finding all this hard to believe.

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"Upset with me, Moony?" Sirius inquired, leaning in the kitchen doorway.

"With you…wholly? No. Annoyed that you haven't grown up in the past seven years or so? A little," Remus replied from the stove where he stood making eggs, bacon, and toast.

"Come on, Moony! Would I be me if I was any other way?" Sirius asked, the smirk he wore evident in his tone.

"I suppose not, but it wouldn't kill you to try every now and then would it?" Remus answered as he turned to face his friend with a smirk to equal that of Sirius's as the Animagus sat down at the table.

"Well…I suppose not…but…are you really gonna starve me?" Sirius asked, switching the subject as he feigned sadness. Remus sighed in defeat.

"No, I won't starve you, Padfoot…this time," Remus conceded.

"Thanks, Remy, because you know if I tried to cook for myself I'd be dead before the day was done." Sirius stated as he leaned back until he was resting on the hind legs of the chair. "You and your wolfy-pms…" the Black muttered to himself, earning himself a dark look.

"Where's Harry?" Remus asked as he, too, sat down.

"Upstairs playing."

"We have a lot to explain and tell him, Sirius," Remus said, suddenly somber. "About his powers, Voldemort, Prongs and Lily, --" Remus began but Sirius did not let him finish.

"Aw, there'll be plenty of time for that," he waved dismissively. "He doesn't need that kind of stress on his shoulders right now." Remus looked his long-time friend in the eyes in all seriousness, causing the Black to shift a little uncomfortably.

"Let me ask you something, Padfoot. Are you procrastinating for Harry's sake…or for yours?"

Sirius did not know how to answer, so he remained silent. Yes, he wanted Harry to know all that he could tell and explain to him. Helping him along with his magic would be fairly easy, Sirius hoped. But he did not think telling a 3-year-old boy that an evil deranged wizard was after him and his powers was the right thing to do at this moment in time. Besides, Voldemort was bodiless, powerless, and helpless.

_But then again…the Death Eaters seem close to finding him…and then…but naw, I'm better off not thinking about that till I have to…_

And then there was the part about James and Lily. That was the part Sirius wanted to wait on. The memory of finding them dead was still fresh in his mind and he truly did not want to think about that. He knew he would have to eventually, but for now he could put it off for at least a little while.

"Siri-" Remus began again but stopped abruptly, looking past Sirius' shoulder. Sirius let his chair return to all fours then turned around to find the source of Remus' abrupt silence: Harry.

"Hey, kiddo!" Sirius said enthusiastically as he stood up, happy for not having to answer to Remus…for now anyway. "Hungry?" Harry nodded cautiously, wondering if Moony was still upset, even after Padfoot saying he was just playing. Sirius picked Harry up and sat him down at the table.

"What do you say we go to Diagon Ally today and pick you out some new clothes and wizard robes?" Sirius asked the small boy as Remus finished setting the table and placed food on all three plates.

_New clothes? But I never get new clothes…_

"Weally?"

"Really, really. I'm sure you don't want to keep wearing these elephant clothes, do you?" Sirius said smiling. Harry grinned sheepishly. Remus was the last to sit down at the table, and the second he did, Sirius began eating like a ravenous dog. Remus shook his head and began to eat as well, but properly. It took them a few seconds to realize Harry 'was not' eating.

"What's up, Prongslet?" Sirius inquired concernedly. "You don't like it?

"Oh! It's not that. It's juwst…" Harry began, looking at the food on his plate, then at Sirius. "I've never had this much befowe. Onwy Dudley gets this much," Harry explained. Sirius felt that hatred for the Dursley's bubble up again, but he firmly pushed it back down, now was not the time or place.

"Well, here you can have as much as you like, Harry," Remus said offering him the marmalade for his toast. Harry smiled genuinely. These people where too good to him.

_But for how long till they get tired of me,_ Harry thought, his old ways of thinking creeping up on him._ Stop thinking wike that_, Harry mentally scolded himself.

"No, thank you, I wike mine plain," Harry stated matter-of-factly.

"Plain?" Both men repeated in unison. Harry nodded, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He picked up his toast and took a bite. Both men shook their heads disbelievingly.

"But…this'll make it taste better," Sirius affirmed, baffled.

"I've always had it wike this. I wike it," Harry said taking another bite. Both men glanced at each other then back at Harry.

"If you say so, kiddo," Sirius sighed, returning to his food. Remus did the same. In the end, Harry was fuller than he had ever been and could not believe they had let him eat as much as he had wanted.

"It was very yummy," Harry informed Remus, who smiled.

"Why, thank you, Harry."

"Yes, Moony. _Extremely_ yummy," Sirius imitated. Remus's gaze shifted to Sirius, and his eyes narrowed shrewdly.

"I have to wonder if that was a compliment…or if you were mocking me…" Remus said suspiciously. Sirius laughed his bark-like laughter.

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**A/N: **I'm really glad you all like this story so much. You have no idea how much your positive reviews mean to me. I tried making this chapter a little longer than the others. And no, they aren't at Grimmuald Place. I thought about it, but I just couldn't put Sirius through that, I love him too much. But in answer to _Opal's _question, Dumbledore found this house and it is of course full of spells and enchantments to protect its inhabitants the best it can. I hope that helped clear that up if any more of you where confused. Thanks again for reviewing and please review this chapter too. And if you do I'll try my best to get Chapter 10 out ASAP. Bye for now!


	10. The Malfoy's

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, know nothing, hear nothing. If I say I do they'll be on to me…

**Chapter Summary: **Sirius and Remus take Harry to Diagon Ally to do some shopping, and have an unwanted encounter.

**A/N: **Yay for reviews! –Happiness- Anyway that's not what you guys are here for is it? Lol. On with the chapter.

Chapter 10: The Malfoy's

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Sirius, Remus, and Harry - who was dressed in dark green wizard robes, of Sirius's, complete with hood, which said wizard had shrunken to fit the small boy before departing for the Leaky Cauldron by Floo Powder…which was scary, but not _as_ scary as apparating had been in, Harry's opinion, just more…dizzying… - were currently in front of the brick entrance that led to Diagon Ally, after craftily leading their hooded charge from prying eyes who would have most likely recognized him on sight. Harry wondered if there was a reason as to why he had to dress in such a way, but did not voice it.

After Remus tapped the bricks in the right order with his wand, the archway to Diagon Ally was opened, much to Harry's surprise. Other than Sirius, Remus, and Hagrid, Harry had never seen other witches and wizards. There where so _many_!

"Like it, kiddo?" Sirius asked as they walked, his Godson's hand in his, as Harry's head turned every which way, trying his very best to see everything he could. The emerald eyed boy nodded vigorously.

"But…these arwen't wegular stores…" Harry commented with a funny look on his face as he gazed at a barrel of frog eyes, five for five Knuts, in the Apothecary window.

"They're for wizards, for making potions and things. You won't find a muggle store here," Remus explained.

"Oh," Harry sighed, remembering that a Muggle was a 'normal person', no magic in their system.

When they finally arrived at Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions, the woman pleasantly greeted Sirius and Remus, giving Harry the impression that she must know them.

"And who is this?" Madam Malkin inquired kindly, looking down at Harry who promptly lowered his gaze to his feet as if fascinated by them.

"Oh, erm, just a kid of a friend of mine...he asked me to get him some new shoes and clothes," Sirius supplied, happy he did not have to go too far from the truth and come up with some cockamamie story - like he usually tended to do…he was not sure why. She smiled and nodded, motioning for Harry to follow her to the back for fitting. Noticing the motion, Harry looked up at Sirius, uncertainty showing in his emerald eyes. Sirius gave him a reassuring nod, as did Remus, and upon having received such, Harry followed the woman.

In the end, they left with Sirius and Remus carrying two huge bags worth of clothes and robes each, and Harry, a bag with his new shoes. The raven-haired boy could not stop saying "Thank you", even after Sirius and Remus, both, had told him that it was fine and that they were happy to do it.

"Better stop at the apothecary to buy a cauldron and the potions ingredients to make the Wolfsbane potion, Padfoot," Remus reminded quietly.

Both men entered the shop assuming Harry was following them as he had been up to now, but the boy had absentmindedly stayed outside to look at the different barrels of ingredients on sale. He found it hard to fathom using things like _these_ to make…well…_anything_, really.

_Nasty_, he thought, suppressing a shudder.

Some ways down the street was a shop with a few kids gazing into the display window; and not for the first time Harry's Gryffindor curiosity got the better of him. He edged through the thickly crowded street toward the shop, trying to not get flattened by the numerous shopping Wizards and Witches. When he arrived, he found the shop to be a broom shop with a nicely polished Nimbus 500 broom on display. But for some odd reason, the other kids still seemed to look at it with awe and longing.

"It's just a bwoom," Harry stated, disappointment evident in his voice and demeanor, he had expected something more…how else could it be put?...Magical.

"_Just_ a bwoom? Are you _mental_?" demanded a platinum blonde haired boy from his right. The boy looked about his age, but was a few inches taller than him. A few other kids murmured their agreement with the blonde.

"No…and it _is_ just a bwoom," Harry answered, not liking this boy very much. The kids slowly began to disperse as their parents came to fetch them, ultimately leaving the blonde boy and Harry alone - excluding the ambling people - in front of the shop.

"Awe you even pure-blood?" The boy asked condescendingly.

Harry, who had no idea what a 'pure-blood' was, did not want to answer wrong, so he replied challengingly, "Yes, I am."

"You don't _act_ wike one," the aristocratic boy shot back.

"_So_?"

"Your mummy and daddy were pwobabwy Muggles," the boy stated with an impersonated sneer that a child could only know how to do if they had watched a parent do it various times.

"Nuh-uh, they were a witch and wizard. Padfoot told me so," Harry retorted, defensively, happy that he had at least known what a 'Muggle' was.

"_Padfoot_? What kind of name is _that_?"

"A good one!"

"And why did _he_ tell you? Where awe your mum and dad?" the boy asked with a smirk.

"They're…dead," Harry conveyed, trying to hide the sadness that seeped into his tone.

"Oh…" the boy said, without a hint of sympathy, before changing the subject, as though they had never stopped talking about names. "So, you pwobabwy got a weird name too, huh?"

"'Padfoot is not a weird name, and mine's Harry Potter."

"Sounds muggle," the other boy replied easily, far too young to have drilled into his head just who the 'Boy-Who-Lived' was... That would come with age.

"Stop saying that!" Harry insisted angrily.

"At weast I have a weal wizard's name: Draco Malfoy," he said sneeringly.

"Sounds wike a circus clown's name," Harry retorted, grinning at his own comeback. Draco took a threatening step toward Harry, but almost immediately yelped, and jumped back, as if he had touch something as hot as fire in the air.

"How'd you do that?" Draco questioned anxiously.

"Do what, burn you?" Harry asked. Draco nodded apprehensively. Harry smiled mischievously, but said nothing. It was then that a blonde haired man came up behind Draco, who, upon realizing the man's presence, looked up guiltily.

"Where did I tell you to be, _Draco_?" he inquired, clearly annoyed.

"Madam Malkin's…" Draco answered softly. Harry had a bad feeling about this man for some reason, and was no longer smiling, but looked uneasy.

"And who-" the man began, but stopped abruptly as his gaze fell on Harry. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the thin outline of the scar on the raven-haired boy's forehead.

"Prongslet, where did you…-" Sirius called, but ceased when he noticed the company his Godson currently held. Remus was behind him, and both men approached at a fast pace.

"Why if it isn't Black and Lupin," Lucius sneered contemptuously, regaining his usual demeanor after receiving the shock of seeing Harry Potter _here_ of all places, wide in the open.

_What idiots_, Lucius remarked mentally.

"Malfoy," Sirius returned, hate unmistakable in his voice.

"I take it you have custody over the Potter boy now?" Lucius probed maliciously, his eyes briefly returning to Harry who had gone to Sirius's side, and was presently holding onto a piece of the older man's robe, tightly. How his master, the Dark Lord, wanted this boy! But here and now was obviously not the time to try and take him.

_But as we found our master not a few months ago, finally, this will most likely be wonderful news. No longer is Potter protected at his 'family's' home, but instead he's with these two bumbling fools…_

"You should learn to mind your own business, _Malfoy_," Sirius spat the surname.

"Heh, yes, shouldn't we all... Come, Draco, we have much to get done," Lucius said, a sneer on his face, then turned and led his son in the opposite direction.

"…We should get a hold of Dumbledore," Remus suggested shakily once they could no longer see the retreating backs of the Malfoy's... Lucius was one of the last people they would have wanted to catch sight of Harry.

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**A/N: **Good, bad? Harry will be told a lot of everything soon, not to worry. I believe I said it was June, in my story, a few chapters back, so those of you who know when Harry's b-day is should know he's a soon-to-be 4-year-old. That's off topic though, sorry I ramble sometimes…-Sigh- It can be a curse. But, anyway, Harry stood up for himself, his parents, and Sirius in this chapter, huh? You might ask, and with good reason, 'where had the shy, cautious Harry gone?' Well since Draco was around Harry's age, and not as big as Dudley, Harry didn't feel as wary as he does with adults he does not know and kids who are bigger than him. Do you guys like these little author notes I put down here or would you rather I didn't? Your opinions mean lots to me so keep 'em coming. Review please, and chapter 11 will be out hopefully just as fast as this one.


	11. Trust is earned

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter One…

**Chapter Summary:** The title of this chapter says it all...

**A/N:** Thank you all for your great reviews. For the few questions you raised in the reviews, you'll just have to wait and see…hehe.

Chapter 11: Trust is Earned

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"Harry, you've got to promise me you won't go off alone anymore. Do you understand?" Sirius admonished the moment they had returned to the house. Scared is not the word to express how Sirius had felt when he had turned around in the apothecary shop to find…no one. Worried is also not the word to say when Sirius had seen Lucius Malfoy in the presence of Harry. He felt like scolding the boy, yes, that is how worried he had actually been, but Harry had not known to not wander, and that was partially Sirius' own fault. Harry knew Padfoot was serious about this, not only because he could sense it, but his Godfather had addressed him by his name, which was something he had never done before.

"That man could have hurt you. There are many good wizards in the world, Harry, but there are also a _lot_ of bad ones," Sirius explained earnestly, desiring nothing more than for is Godson to understand. Harry nodded, guilt settling itself horribly in his stomach.

"I don't know what I'd have done if anything had happened to you, Prongslet," Sirius said softly, emotion in his voice. And, feeling overwhelmed from the deepness of the emotions, Harry burst into tears. Sirius, who had bent down to the raven-haired boy's level to talk to him, enveloped the sobbing child into his arms.

"I-I'm s-s-sowwy…" Harry sobbed into Sirius shoulder as the older wizard got up with younger in his arms, and moved to the sofa trying to calm him.

"It's okay, Prongslet, its okay. I just don't want anyone to hurt you. You're everything to Moony and I. You won't go off alone anymore, will you?" Sirius asked gently as he rubbed Harry's back in a circular soothing motion. Harry shook his head 'no' in the crook of Sirius' neck as he slowly did his best calm himself, eventually getting himself under control again. For a few minutes, the pair just sat there. Sirius on the sofa, Harry in his lap, head now resting against his Godfather's chest.

"You'we…sad...and…you'we worried," Harry murmured quietly, more to himself than to Sirius, but the Animagus did not fail to catch what the boy had said.

_Whoa, how could he…wait…Empathy? _Sirius thought, shocked.

"You…know how I feel right now, Prongslet?" Sirius inquired lightly. Harry hesitated for a second before nodding slowly. Sirius' mind reeled from the acquired information.

_Is that another of the reasons why he was crying? _Sirius thought frantically, blaming himself for pushing his feelings on the boy.

"Harry I-" But when Sirius looked down at his small charge he found him to be asleep. The ebony haired wizard could not help but smile; it sure had been one long morning. He carried Harry to his room and gently laid him down on his new bed, covered him, and kissed him on the forehead. His Godson sighed contentedly in his sleep, and Sirius faintly wondered if empathy worked even when you were out of it. Sirius exited and returned to the living room just as Remus was stepping out of the fire place, having just been to see Dumbledore.

"What'd he say?" Sirius questioned his friend as Remus sat down on the sofa, the Black moving to do the same on the recliner.

"He says he'll have Severus look into it, and see if Voldemort gets any more information that could place Harry in danger," Remus conveyed to his friend, knowing Sirius was not going to like the fact that Snape was to be the one they left their fate to.

"_Snivellus_! I don't care _what_ Dumbledore says about him, Moony, if he knows where we live he'd all but _parade_ to tell Voldemort!" the Black retorted angrily, trying not to raise his voice because of the napping Harry, but finding it rather difficult.

"There's no other way for us to know when, and if, Voldemort finds out where we are, Padfoot. Severus is an asset," Remus stated intently, trying to get Sirius to at least concede and agree.

"Oh yeah, he's an _asset_ alright," Sirius remarked sarcastically. "You've just got to ask yourself: an asset to 'who', exactly?"

"Padfoot, don't let a schoolboy grudge cloud your judgment when it comes to Harry's safety," the young lycanthrope implored earnestly.

"Fine…but I _don't_ have to like it," Sirius sighed exasperatedly.

"Neither do I, but we have to at least accept it," Remus reasoned. Sirius nodded reluctantly.

"And Harry?" the Lupin asked after a few seconds.

"Asleep," the other answered. Remus nodded understandingly. It was only natural that the boy would have been exhausted after the day's events.

"Moony…can Elemental wizards have powers outside that of the elements themselves?" Sirius asked curiously. Remus looked startled at the abrupt change of subject, but answered none-the-less.

"Yes…Elementals have been known to have quite a few other unique powers that have hardly anything to do with the elements…why?" Remus inquired, eyes narrowing.

"Because, well, I think…Harry's empathic. Literally."

"Empathic?" Remus repeated doubtfully. "There have only been three of those in all wizarding history. The chances that-"

"I guess Harry makes the fourth, then, because he knew _exactly_ how I was feeling earlier, Moony," Sirius stated in all honesty, then proceeded to inform Remus of the talk he and Harry had had.

"Maybe that's why he's starting to trust us more…He doesn't go by words…but by emotion," the amber eyed werewolf mused out loud. Sirius nodded in agreement.

"What someone has to go through to not be able to trust words alone anymore," Remus sighed sadly.

"I'm hoping to help change that."

"You could start by explaining some things to him…" Remus commented, bringing up the subject of earlier. The dog Animagus sighed.

"I'm going to, Moony...eventually. I am. You could help though, you know."

"I can help you help him, but he's _your_ Godson, Padfoot, and it would be James' wish that he knew the whole truth from _you_," Remus countered. Sirius nodded jadedly, knowing it to be true.

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Dinner that night was an oddly silent affair, everyone lost in their own thoughts. Sirius, about explaining things to Harry. Remus, about the going-ons of that day. And Harry, about why everyone was being so quiet. During lunch, Harry had tried to clear the table in order to wash the dishes, but Remus and Sirius had gently scolded him, and explained that here he would not have to do any of that. He was not their slave, and never would be. Harry found that hard to understand.

_Not work? But Aunt Petunia always had me…but they'we nothing wike Aunt Petunia...or Uncle Vernon_, Harry had told himself. So now he knew better than to try and clear the dinner table, even though he felt overly compelled to. At times it was hard to understand Padfoot and Moony and their motives, but their emotions told Harry that they cared…

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"Come on, Prongslet, its just a little water," Sirius cooed, attempting to get Harry to let him remove his clothes so that he could bathe the boy. It was around eight thirty at night now and Sirius and Harry where in the younger's room. Remus was in the basement working on the Wolfsbane potion. Harry, at the moment, looked panic-stricken.

"Prongslet, look at me," Sirius ordered gently, yet forcefully at the same time. Harry reluctantly did so. "In the eyes," his Godfather corrected. Harry slowly obeyed.

"Prongslet, would I _ever_ hurt you?" Sirius asked meaningfully. The Potter heir's searching emerald eyes pierced Sirius as though looking into his very soul, but, truth be told, that's what Sirius had wanted Harry to do in the first place. After a pregnant silence Harry answered, "No." Sirius smiled warmly.

"Then, do you trust me enough to give you a bath?" he inquired. Harry took a slow, shaky intake of breath and nodded. Sirius helped Harry undress and grimaced slightly at the bruises; he would get rid of those tonight, he mentally told himself. He then led a towel draped Harry to the bathroom and ran the water. Harry watched the tub fill, fear evident in his green eyes, but reminded himself that this was Padfoot and _not_ Aunt Petunia.

"Ready?" Sirius asked once the bath was half-way full with warm water. Harry, now looking resolved, nodding again said, "Yeah..." Sirius took the towel off his young charge and placed it on the sink, then lifted Harry, who stiffened something terrible, into the tub. Harry had his eyes tight shut, and after it was all said and done and he was in the water, he slowly opened them to find Sirius there, on bended knee, next to him, outside the tub.

"See, its not that bad is it?" the bluish-grey eyed wizard chuckled. Harry let out a shuddering breath he had not known he had been holding and nodded once, not wanting to answer Sirius' question, but slowly relaxing his muscles. The next ten minutes consisted of body soaping and hair washing. Sirius always asked before he did, as if making it all Harry's decision. He did not want Harry to think he was forcing this on him. Especially since it seemed Harry had been traumatized, in some way or another, by the Dursley's, when it came to water.

"Now all we need to do is dry you off, kiddo," Sirius said, wrapping Harry in the towel and picking him up out of the tub. Harry smiled a genuine smile – the bath was done and over with. He had dreamed about having a family, yes, but he had never hoped it to come true, and here he was with two people who cared more for him than he could even say. He wished things would stay like this forever. Sirius helped Harry dry himself and his hair, which, like James', would not lay flat for anything. He then instructed the young boy to return to the three -year-old's room while he, Sirius, went to his room to get the bruise salve that Madam Pomfrey had provided them. He arrived at Harry's room to find the child, wrapped in his towel, wearing his new boxer shorts, sitting on his bed patiently, cross-legged.

"Harry…you know all I want to do is help you and be here for you, right?" the twenty-five-year-old questioned as he sat at the foot of Harry's bed. The young Potter nodded without hesitation this time around.

"Well, what I have here is going to heal your bruises on the spot, by magic, but the downside is that it's going to sting. Only for a bit, but it will," Sirius stated sadly, causing Harry's gaze to shift uncertainly to the salve jar in his Godfather's hand, worry flashing briefly in his emerald eyes. He then drifted his gaze back up to meet Sirius', who had been studying Harry's face anxiously the whole time.

"You won't be hurwting me on powpose…I…I twust you," Harry answered with certainty in his tone and in his eyes, causing Sirius' face to light up in a true smile, Harry having made him happier than anyone ever had. Knowing the boy actually believed in him was something Sirius had wanted since the day he had been dubbed Harry's Godfather by James and Lily.

The child took off the towel and Sirius opened the container of salve, now feeling dismal about what was to come.

"Why don't we start with your back?" he inquired tentatively. Harry complied and turned around, resigned to taking the pain. He _did _only have to do this _once_, he reasoned with himself, and that was a comforting thought. Though, the second the salve touched his skin, all previous thoughts of comfort where erased. Sirius heard Harry take sharp and painful intake of breath as his small hands formed tight fists…but not one more sound was emitted from the boy as he determinedly sat through the pain. When Sirius was done, the salve on Harry's body, as well as the bruises, had disappeared completely and Harry's eyes were shinning with unshed tears, a single one escaping down his smooth cheek. Sirius hated having to have done it; Harry's sole gasp when Sirius had just begun had shattered his heart, not to mention the silence from his Godson that had followed throughout the rest of the application. Sirius wrapped his arms around his Charge and pulled him to his chest as the tears Harry had withheld were finally released, no longer able to withhold them, in silent sobs.

"I know, Prongslet. Let it all out. You should never have to hold in your feelings. Never. It's going to be okay now, kiddo, it's going to be okay. I love you, you know that?" Sirius asked, fighting tears, himself, that where threatening to fall, as he planted a kiss on Harry's large tuft of black hair. Harry nodded as silent tears continued to fall, though feeling the safest he ever had with his Godfather holding him in his arms.

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**A/N:** I felt both sad and happy as I wrote this chapter, horribly conflicting emotions if you ask me. –Sigh- But it had to be done and there it is. Hope you enjoyed it. I'm glad to know you all like these little Author's Notes I put down here. The story is flowing and Harry's b-day will most likely be in the next chapter, and what a day it should be… Anyway, review please and give me your thoughts and opinions. The more reviews, the faster the chapters are out, as you all already are familiar with. Thanks again for all your support and positive feedback!


	12. Werewolves

**Disclaimer:** See chapter one…

**Chapter Summary: **Remus tells Harry his secret rather than let Harry find out on his own.

**A/N:** Hope this chapter was worth your wait. Thanks for all your supportive reviews!

Chapter 12: Werewolves

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A few weeks passed, entering July, and Harry had become much more relaxed around Sirius and Remus. He was finally getting used to them and how they went about doing things. Dumbledore had visited a few times though, and on those occasions you could find Harry hiding behind Sirius or Remus' legs - whoever was closest at the time - but recently he was slowly getting used to Dumbledore as well. Remus had told him that Dumbledore was a good friend of theirs and that he was the headmaster of the magic school Harry would attend when he was older. That had brightened the boy up quiet a bit, but it did not take away his timidity around the old man. The two friends knew that pushing Harry to trust people was the wrong way about doing things, and that once Harry knew who he _could_ trust, he, himself, would come to terms about trusting them just like he had with Sirius and Remus. Dumbledore's visits had been good and informative, in Sirius and Remus' opinion, for according to Snape, Voldemort and his Death Eaters were none-the-wiser about Harry's location and were not too happy about it either.

Now mid-July, Sirius had not been home much. For some reason he would be sitting there talking with Remus or Harry and would abruptly say, "Oh yeah!", as if remembering something important, and would apparate on the spot leaving Harry quite bemused and Remus shaking his head. Harry had gotten used this after the first five times, and was able to refrain himself from yelping at the sound of the loud 'CRACK' each time.

"Is Padfoot okay?" Harry had wondered aloud to Remus once.

"He's fine; he can just be…mental…at times," Remus had answered amusedly.

The lycanthrope knew, of course, exactly why his friend would apparate unexpectedly. Sirius had become obsessed with making Harry's birthday perfect ever since July first. Remus wished he, too, could go out and help get things, but someone had to stay with Harry, who still had no idea what was going on. It was now the evening of July fifteenth, Sirius was out again, and Harry was watching as Remus levitated everything in the basement out and into the living room.

"Moony…?" Harry interrupted the concentrating man.

"Yes, Harry?" Remus replied, lowering his wand, and turning to his young charge.

"Why are you taking swuff out of the basement?" The boy inquired innocently. Remus smiled softly at the boy, went and sat on the couch, and motioned for Harry to join him. Harry did so, climbing into Remus' awaiting lap, and looking up at him expectantly.

"Harry," Remus began, wondering how to word this exactly, knowing that it would have only been a matter of time before this subject would be brought up. "…you believe in magic," Harry nodded once to this. "…you know that there are different _'kinds' _of magic," Remus continued. Harry nodded again. "…you know that Sirius is a wizard, and that you and I are also, except you can do some things that we can't, right?"

"…Yeah." Harry answered slowly, though not impatiently, with another nod.

"Well…" Remus sighed. "I can do something that you two can't do as well."

"Like what?" Harry wondered curiously.

"…Harry…I'm a werewolf," Remus finished frankly, not knowing how to go around the bush anymore than he had, fully expecting the boy to know what that was - considering even Muggles knew folklore - and be scared…which Harry was not at all.

"A werewolf?" Harry repeated with a confused look.

"You don't know," Remus breathed with relief, thinking this could make things easier, making Harry's first view of werewolves a good one.

"You see, Harry, every full moon, a wizard, who is a werewolf, transforms into one. Most people don't like werewolves, because they can hurt you, but what they don't know is that there is a potion that makes a werewolf harmless," the Lupin clarified.

"Like you. You don't hurt people, Moony," Harry stated matter-of-factly. Remus smiled a true smile. Prongs' son was not scared of the fact that he, Remus, was a werewolf. That could also be because Harry did not understand it completely, but Remus took his blessings as they came.

"Right, but I do transform, even _with_ the potion, and tonight happens to be a night of the full moon, and that is why I'm clearing out the basement. To stay in," he explained.

"But you'we safe, why can't you stay up here when you chwange?" Harry asked, not wanting Remus to have to sleep in the basement. It reminded him of when he had to sleep in the cupboard.

"No matter how safe I am, I'd rather be completely sure I can't hurt you or Padfoot, and for that reason I will sleep in the basement tonight," his Guardian answered in a way that left no room for argument. Harry looked saddened, but nodded understandingly and laid his head underneath Remus' chin. Remus wrapped his arms around the small boy, resting his chin softly on Harry's head and closed his eyes tiredly.

"Moony?"

"Mmm?"

"How many times is the full moon?"

"Just once a month."

"Good."

"Moony?"

"Yeah?"

"…Can I go with you?"

"I don't think that'd be a very good idea, Harry."

"Oh…ok."

"…Moony?"

"...Yes?"

"Will I see you in the mowning?"

"The very second you wake up," Remus replied fondly, and Harry smiled softly.

A 'pop' from outside announced Sirius return. It was possible to apparate out of the house but Dumbledore's wards made it to where you could not just apparate in. Remus smiled when Harry jumped up, ran to the door happily, and swung it open.

"Padfoot!" the young child squealed gleefully.

"Hey, Prongslet!" Sirius responded picking the boy up and spinning him around, causing him to giggle. He was empty-handed, of course, because he had taken to dropping the things he bought in Dumbledore's office before returning home… It was safer that way and he had a less likely chance of getting caught by Harry.

"Padfoot, did you know Moony was a werewolf?" Harry asked with the same childlike innocence as earlier. This took Sirius by surprise and he quickly looked over at Remus who nodded.

"Of course I do, kiddo," the canine Animagus acknowledged with a smile.

"Oh. Well…me too!" Harry disclosed happily.

"Then it's a secret between us three, mmkay?" said Sirius with a grin.

"Alright!" Harry chirped, his eyes sparkling with the thought of keeping a secret.

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But that night Harry could not sleep, he kept dreaming about dark cloaks, evil laughter, and green light. He was currently lying in his bed gazing at the ceiling.

_It was just a dream,_ he kept telling himself. _Just a dream…_

After a few seconds of making sure he was completely calm again he allowed his mind to wander out to other things. Like how much his life had changed. He did not know what he would do if he ever lost Padfoot and Moony.

_Moony… _Harry thought, remembering where his second guardian was. He could not help it, it was the Gryffindor in him; he grabbed his blanket and quietly crept out of his bedroom. First he checked in Sirius' room to find his Godfather sprawled on his bed, sound asleep and snoring. Harry felt like giggling but held it in; this was an inopportune time to wake him up. Being heard would get Harry caught and if he was caught he would not be able to do what he wanted to do, which was visit Moony. He padded downstairs and into the living room, which was still full of books, shelves, vials, boxes, and a cauldron; all the things that usually occupied the basement. He opened the basement door and was hit with a sharp draft of cold air, causing a shiver to run down his spine. He wrapped his blanket around him tightly and slowly descended the stairs, closing the door behind him. Harry had never seen a werewolf before, and that was partially a reason for coming to visit Moony as well, now that he thought about it.

At the bottom of the stairs Harry looked around in the darkness sensing that Moony was there, just not able to see him. He decided it was kind of silly to be looking in the dark, so he sat down on the floor, took off his blanket, laid it beside him, and with a flick of his wrist, produced a flame to sit in front of him, illuminating the basement. Not as much as a florescent light, but enough to see. In the corner of the room sat the astounded wolf-like creature, Moony.

"Hi, Moony," Harry greeted softly as he picked up his blanket and moved over to where Moony was, unperturbed with the extreme change in the Lupin's appearance. The werewolf, in his right mind thanks to the Wolfsbane potion, could do nothing but look at Harry incredulously. What was the boy_ thinking_?

"I know you said it wouldn't be a vewy good idea, but I still didn't want to weave you awone," Harry explained. Remus wanted nothing more but to be able to talk in that instant, and explain to Harry, thoroughly, of the dangers of being here, but was resigned to the fact that Harry being here was nothing he could prevent now that he was mute and that Sirius was asleep. Though, he did have to admit to himself that having company was not so bad, especially with it being his late best friend's son.

"And…" Harry continued, lifting up the blanket. "I thought you might be cold down here." If werewolves could smile, Remus would have. He then looked at the fire wondering how much control Harry had over it. Would it stay where it was with no boundaries stopping it from spreading out?

"Oh, the fire?" Harry questioned sensing the worry. "It stays where I tell it to." Remus nodded slightly and laid down tiredly; doubting Harry was going to leave that night. And he was right, for Harry covered him then laid down next to him, covering himself as well.

"I think I wike werewolves," Harry yawned, scooting to cuddle up next to the other's warm fur. "G'night, Moony."

_Night, Harry. And…thanks._

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**A/N:** And another chapter is done. How'd you like it? Give me your input if you would please, and I'll try and update as soon as possible.

Don't you all thinks it's high time Harry had someone his age to befriend? I've been thinking on it and the next chapter should be good for you Weasley fans…-Grins- Anywho, expect it soon and please review if you want it out sooner than you'd hoped!


	13. A Day in The Park

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter One...

**Chapter Summary: **Harry gets a friend.

**A/N:** Thank you all for your positive reviews. I'm glad you liked the Remus/Harry time. Here is the awaited chapter 13, enjoy!

Chapter 13: A Day in The Park

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Remus awoke in the early hours of the morning, his body sore from the transformation he had endured that night. With a soft groan he sat up and blearily looked around. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the light.

_Light? ...In the basement? _Remus' gaze fell on the source, which was the still burning flame, in the middle of the room. Memory's of the night before flooded back to him and he immediately understood why it was there.

_You kept it going all night?_ Remus thought astonished, as his gaze shifted to the young child next to him. _Where do you find the energy?_ With a sigh, he gingerly stood, changed into the clothes he had brought down before closing himself in the basement, and then gently picked the sleeping raven-haired boy up. The second he did, however, the fire went out and the room was plunged into complete darkness, leaving Remus to carefully find the stairs, before proceeding to climb them - doing his best to not loose footing.

"Moony?" Harry questioned groggily from Remus' arms just as the older wizard reached the door and had opened it.

"Yes, pup, it's me," Remus replied as they entered the living room.

"Normal again?" Harry inquired rubbing the sleep from his eyes as Remus sat him down on the couch.

"As normal as I can be," the lycanthrope answered with a small smile. Harry grinned, but then faltered as though just having thought of something.

"Am I in twouble?" he asked resignedly. Remus raised an eyebrow at the boy and sat down next to him.

"Why do you think you would be?"

"For…going to visit you when you towd me not to…" Harry answered sadly.

"Harry, I know your intentions where good, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy your company." Harry smiled slightly at this. "But I wouldn't tell you to not to do something unless I had a very good reason to do so," Remus explained. "Like your well being, for an example. What if I _hadn't_ been in my right mind? I could have really hurt you, Harry, and if that had happened I would never have forgiven myself. So…no more sleepovers during the full moon, okay?" Harry nodded, looking at his hands that where lying in his lap.

"Mad at me?" Remus asked, feigning sadness. Harry looked up surprised, then smiled and shook his head 'no'. Remus grinned, ruffled Harry's hair, and stood up just as Sirius came yawning down the stairs.

"Did I miss a morning discussion?" he inquired with a smirk when he noticed the two. Remus asked Harry to go and get dressed and brush his teeth while he talked with Sirius, and, as Remus knew he would, the boy quickly complied.

"What's up?" Sirius questioned once Harry had run upstairs. Remus began explaining the past night's events while both men levitated all the basement things neatly back to their rightful place.

"I must say then, Moony, that I'm more than relieved you _did_ drink that potion we made... Not just for Harry's sake, but for yours, because I would've killed you," Sirius stated in mock seriousness, after his friend had finished, trying to hide a smile.

"You find it funny?" Remus asked incredulously.

"In a way…well…yes. Look at it this way: we can get worked up and worried over something that _didn't_ happen, or we can marvel at the fact that the boy was extremely calm around you even though you were a werewolf. When you think about it, he gets more and more like Prongs every day," the Black summed up, grinning proudly, then returned his wand to his pajama pocket now that everything was in the basement. Remus pensively placed his wand into his pocket as well.

"You know, Padfoot, there are times I'm positive you're as dense as a board…but then there are others times when I think you might be wiser than you let on…" Remus mused as he closed the basement door. Sirius shrugged dismissively.

"All I'm saying is 'don't worry so much, or you'll bring out the gray hairs,'" Sirius smirked. "And besides, we have all next month to worry and take the right precautions. You don't learn without making mistakes, right?" he asked knowingly.

"True…"

"Well, this was ours, and I'm pretty sure Harry won't do it again after that little talk. He's a good kid," Sirius said positively.

"Your right," Remus sighed, and then began walking toward the kitchen to make breakfast. "And…if your _not_, well, I'll just have to kill _you_ next full moon," Remus stated as he entered. Sirius gaped for a moment before scoffing in mock indignance.

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"Now you go on and play some," Sirius encouraged with a warm smile. "We'll be sitting right here, watching you."

It was the afternoon; five days after the werewolf incident, and Sirius had come up with what he called a 'brilliant idea'. That idea was to take Harry to the park. Not only to play, but to get some fresh air and to interact with other children his age. Harry had, at first, been ecstatic about going. That was…before he actually arrived there. He was now very nervous, mind filled with the thoughts that the kids would not like him, or would be big and mean like Dudley.

"Right here?" Harry asked again, just to make sure.

"This exact same spot, Prongslet," Sirius reassured. Harry sighed, nodded once, gave his guardians a quick grateful hug, then, with a wave, walked timidly toward the playground where many kids laughed and played.

"He needs this," Sirius pointed out to no one in particular.

"Maybe more than we know. He's never been able to play or make friends before," Remus responded with a hint of sadness as he sat down on the park bench. Sirius joined him, and the two watched their charge.

"Padfoot, I've been thinking," the Lupin said, voicing his thoughts as he turned to look at his friend.

"When aren't you?" Sirius remarked with a playful smirk.

"Cute," Remus deadpanned. "But, really, I have been."

"Okay, 'bout what?" Sirius pried, still watching his Godson.

"Harry," Remus said in all seriousness. This sparked Sirius's curiosity and he turned to look at his friend expectantly.

"Well…he's going to be four in a few days, which means muggle primary school will be coming up soon. You know, Pre K," Remus began, knowing this might not bode over well with Sirius, for he did have his little "Separation Anxiety" issue, as he liked to call it, when it came to Harry. It had started when James and Lily had been alive and had just given birth to Harry. He would visit everyday complaining of his so called 'sickness.' When they died and Harry had been sent to the Dursley's, Sirius about died himself. It had taken him forever to get over the depression, if he ever did, but, now with Harry back, he was beginning to act more and more like himself again, Remus had noticed. Sirius opened his mouth to reply, but Remus continued, cutting him off.

"But, then when I _really_ thought about it, I realized that him going to a muggle primary school might not be the wisest decision." Sirius quirked a curious eyebrow at this remark.

"And why would that be?" he asked.

"Think about it, Padfoot, Harry's obviously no muggle, one, and two, he's no normal wizard either, on top of the fact that he's 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'. He could end up performing Elemental magic without thinking. And without the wards around him, like at the house, powerful magic detecting spells could pick it up much faster than regular magic. That would be like handing him over on a silver platter to the awaiting Death Eaters." Remus explained, proving, once again, that he thought too much, but that it came in handy.

"What would I do without you, Moony?" Sirius questioned, smiling.

"Eh, die of starvation or something, I suppose," Remus shrugged. Sirius thumped him on the head.

"Hey!" Remus defended indignantly. A few seconds of silence passed while Remus rubbed his head.

"…Well?" Sirius inquired.

"Well what?" Remus retorted, still rubbing.

"Don't tell me that after all that thinking, your planning on Harry _not_ learning basic arithmetic, reading, and writing," Sirius replied disbelievingly. "That's so…_unlike_ you!"

Remus chuckled, "You think I'm _that_ daft?"

"Heh, that depends," the dog Animagus answered. The other sighed exasperatedly.

"Fine. I was thinking it'd be better if…well, if _I_ taught Harry the basics. Then you could have time to slowly explain to him everything he needs to know about his life, and help him train his powers," Remus disclosed, before looking back at Harry who was talking with some red-headed twins.

"Moony?" Sirius grinned widely.

"Yes?" A grin of Remus' own tugged at his lips.

"You're a genius."

"It's nice to get _some_ appreciation around here."

"Aww, Moony! I appreciate you! How could you ever think _otherwise_?"

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"Hi! I'm Fred, and this is my brother George," The red-headed six year old greeted, seeing that Harry had been alone.

"Hi. …I'm Harry," the raven haired child replied politely.

"Wait-" George began.

"Your not-" Fred continued.

"Harry-"

"Potter,"

"Are you?" they finished in unison. Harry was shocked.

"You know my name?" he asked, amazed.

"Know your name? Know your _name_?" Fred repeated incredulously. Harry felt like he had missed something.

"Here, let me check," George said stepping up and lifting Harry's bangs.

"It _is_ you!" they gasped. Now Harry felt really lost.

"Wait till mum hears!" Fred stated excitedly, leading his brother toward the other side of the playground, leaving Harry alone again. He sighed.

_How do they know my name? And how does looking at my fowehead pwove who I am?_ Harry pondered confusedly. _I'll have to ask Padfoot,_ Harry looked over to where Sirius and Remus where sitting, obviously in deep conversation. _Later… _he corrected, knowing it would be rude to interrupt.

Harry liked the park; he loved the swings, slides, and the laughter all around. He liked best, though, playing in the plastic tunnels that you crawl through - like those at that McDonald's he had seen in town with Mrs. Figg when she had bought him his glasses. And he happened to be crawling through one of these said tunnels when he heard a terrified scream that reverberated off the plastic walls, quickly followed by sobbing. Harry crawled through the tunnels in the direction of the sobbing until he came to a circular cushioned play chamber that contained one single red-haired boy, which was not one of the earlier twins, arms holding his knees, crying into them. Harry carefully stood up, walked over to the boy, and sat down next to him, feeling the boy's unexplained fear deep within himself like a quivering hum.

"What's wong?" he asked, in the same soothing manner Sirius and Remus would speak to him when he cried. The boy looked up, surprised, tears in his eyes.

"I-it's a-a s-spider," the boy sobbed, trying and failing to calm down with the 'perpetrator' hanging on a thread from the ceiling in the middle of the circular room.

"Oh!" Harry said, now understanding. "Your scared of them?" The boy nodded, trying again to calm himself, it worked slightly, but not much.

"Don't cry, I'll take it out," the emerald eyed child reassured the boy. He got up, captured the spider in his palm and closed his hand around it gently, feeling it tickle him.

"There!" he smiled. The red-haired boy smiled back, wiping his tears.

"You'we...not scared?" The boy asked, astounded.

"They were always in the cupboard," Harry explained.

"Wow, you must weally be bwave, then!" the boy supposed.

"I don't think so, just used to them. I'll be wight back," Harry went, put the spider outside, and then returned as fast as he could.

"Is it...gone?" the boy inquired, fear evident in his childish voice as his eyes snapped to the other's hand.

"All gone." He even opened his palm to show the red-head.

"Wow, you saved my life! You'we..." The boy thought for a moment, searching for the proper term. "My hero! Wanna be fwends?" he asked excitedly. Harry grinned. A friend! He had never _really_ had one of those.

"Yeah!"

"Oh and…thank you," the boy said gratefully.

"What for?"

"Saving me!"

"Oh! Well...what are fwends for?" Harry replied smiling, having never thought of being able to say that in his life.

"I'm Ron, Ron Weasley," the four year old introduced, no more tears on his face, grinning as he extended his hand.

"I'm Harry Potter," the messy haired Elemental introduced himself, as well, as he shook his new friend's hand.

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**A/N: **How'd you like it? Next chapter you will get to meet the rest of the Weasley children and Mrs. Weasley. Please Review and tell me what you think. And I'll again try and update ASAP. Thank you all again! Until next time...


	14. You know Better?

**Disclaimer:** If I really owned anything, would I actually post it here?

**Chapter Summary: **Harry meets Mrs. Weasley and the other Weasley children, and Sirius and Molly have disagreements.

**A/N:** Wonderful reviews! I'm glad you all liked the way Harry met Ron. Hope you like this one just as much. Next Chapter soon...

Chapter 14: You know better?

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"Cool! Oh, I've gotta tell Mum! I've never had a best fwend befowe," Ron grinned excitedly. "And…you should meet her, come on!" the happy boy exclaimed, abruptly grabbing Harry's hand and leading him to the other side of the park.

_His mum? Is she nice? Is she mean? Is she like Padfoot and Moony? …Will she like me?_ Harry nervously looked back in the direction where Sirius and Remus should have been, only to find the playground in the way. That caused him to feel more anxious than he had been, though he tried his best to calm down. After all, Ron was the nicest boy Harry had ever met, not to mention they were now friends, so more than likely Ron's mum was just as nice, Harry assured himself.

They arrived at a picnic table where six red-headed children sat talking and eating, one of them coloring. None of them looked up, they did not seem to care who passed by. The twins Harry had met earlier looked annoyed about something and were whispering to each other. A red-haired woman, who was obviously their mother, sat on a bench close-by sowing and muttering exasperatedly. As Harry and Ron came in ear shot, Harry heard her say, "…can't believe they're still making up stories. _Harry Potter_, honestly!" Needless to say, this did not help to encourage Harry one bit. Only when they were right in front of her did she gaze up form her work, a surprised look on her face.

"Mum, Mum! This is Harry, my new bestest fwend! He saved me fwom this _huge_ spider, with onwy his hands! He wasn't scared or nothing!" Ron enthusiastically declared. Harry felt the beginnings of embarrassment and wanted nothing more than to shift his gaze to the ground, but resisted the urge, pink tingeing his cheeks.

_It wasn't 'that' big of a spider…_

"Wait one moment Ronald Weasley…Harry? ...As in...Harry Potter?" she asked sternly, having now gone through this twice today. Ron grinned widely and nodded. Mrs. Weasley looked over at Harry critically, taking in his features, looking him over head to toe. Her eyes showed realization as she gazed at his scar, and then into his emerald orbs. Harry's first intention was to look away - what did staring at someone prove? It was very…unnerving… - but for some reason did not, this woman had soft, caring eyes.

"You _are_…Harry Potter," she breathed, amazed, her mind buzzing with thoughts.

"…Y-yes, ma'am," Harry answered politely. Mrs. Weasley bit her lip as her eyes began to shimmer with tears. Ron looked confused, and Harry immediately felt terrible, this woman already did not like him! She was showing an emotion Harry did not recognize, but, for some reason, it made him feel sad. He was about to apologize for what ever it was that he had done - the last thing he wanted was to be on the wrong foot with her…this was the mother of his first real friend! - , when, out of nowhere, he was enveloped by her warm embrace.

"Oh, you poor dear!" she cried motherly. Of everything he might have been expecting, Harry certainly had not been expecting _this_. The boy had immediately tensed at her touch, but soon felt himself able to relax into her hug. He had been embraced only by two people before, from what he could remember, and that had been Sirius and Remus, but this one seemed different to him.

_Is this what its wike to be hugged by...a mum?_ he thought to himself. All too soon, for Harry anyway, Mrs. Weasley released him.

"Look at me, all worked up," she chuckled wiping away stray tears and smiling warmly at him. "Harry, it is very, very nice to meet you. You are ever so polite."

"I just can't believe…_you_….of all places," she murmured to herself, still finding that meeting the boy to be almost unreal. She felt sorry for him, for having no parents, for being marked by Voldemort, the list went on and on.

Ron was thoughtful after the initial enthusiastic introduction of his friend to his mother.

_Harry Potter…_ He believed the name rang a bell somewhere in his head but he could not seem to pinpoint why. His mother was a loving but stern woman, he knew, having to raise seven kids, and in all his four years of life he had never seen her this way. There was obviously something about his new friend that he did not know…he would have to ask his brothers later.

"Now, then, where would your guardians-" she began, wanting to get to know them better, in order to allow Ron and Harry play days, now that the two boys were friends, but she was cut off.

"Prongslet, where've you…_Molly_?" came the voice of Sirius, Remus at his heels as they arrived from the other side of the playground, having not seen Harry when they had looked up from their bench.

"Sirius," Molly replied coldly as she stood. She had had doubts about her cousin - by marriage - long after the deaths of the Potters. Veritaserum could be overcome after all.

"Padfoot!" Harry greeted happily.

"Hey, kiddo," Sirius grinned, as he lifted his Godson up from the ground and positioned him in his arms so they both could see Mrs. Weasley.

"This is Ron, my newest fwend," Harry introduced, motioning towards the red-head. Ron beamed.

"Nice to meet you, Ron," Remus acknowledged kindly and Sirius gave a nod of agreement.

"This is Padfoot, and Moony. I live with them," Harry clarified innocently.

"What!" Mrs. Weasley blurted furiously, unable to restrain herself. Everyone was surprised by her out-burst, especially Harry and Ron. Noticing the brief fear in Harry's eyes, she quickly changed her tone.

"I-I mean…Ron, why don't you take Harry over to the table to eat and meet your brothers and sister?" she asked kindly. Ron nodded, fully confused by the situation. Sirius and Remus shared a knowing look.

"Come on, Harry," Ron said. With a resigned sigh, Sirius let Harry down. Upon regaining his footing, Harry gave a last glance to his Godfather and Moony, and proceeded to follow Ron to the table.

"You wanted to talk, Molly?" Sirius remarked sarcastically. Remus felt an altercation coming on, like a bomb waiting to go off. Sirius and Molly were not the best at getting along, and never had been. Molly did not like the 'Blacks', they were a bad bunch, and, no matter what other people said, Sirius had to be the same, in her opinion.

She glared at him. "Am I to understand that Harry, _Harry Potter_, is living with _you_?" she inquired heatedly. Remus felt like interrupting and adding, 'and me,' but knew better than to get involved.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Sirius crossed.

"Do you have any idea how negative an effect that could cause? Two men? Preposterous!" she said fervently.

"Who are _you _to say what's good for him and what's not?" Sirius questioned angrily.

"I'm a mother of seven! Of course I know what is good for him!" she answered fiercely.

"I'm his Godfather!" Sirius retorted indignantly.

"Oh, yes! And look what good that's done him!" she fumed.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" he asked infuriated.

"The boy is much to skinny! He is obviously _not_ cared for!" she replied, incensed.

"James entrusted _me _with Harry and his well being, Molly. If you think for one _moment_ that I would do anything to harm him, then you know _nothing_ about me. I would _never _do that to my best friend's son," Sirius countered, livid. Molly opened her mouth, and then closed it, looking at him pensively. Sirius was breathing deeply, but was mentally trying to calm himself, because he did not want Harry to hear them arguing.

"Molly…I wasn't given custody of Harry when James died. Did you know that? He was sent to that horrid muggle Petunia Dursley, Lily's sister, who _hates_ magic," he stated in forced calm tones. Again Mrs. Weasley seemed incapable of speech.

"Know what they did to him? They _abused _him, Molly! Not just physically, but verbally, psychologically!" Sirius's voice was now full of emotion. This was a sensitive subject for it raised many feelings in him. Sorrow, pain, and hatred, just to name a few. Molly covered her mouth, shaking her head 'no'.

"Yes. But we, Remus and I, saved him. Rescued him, gave him nourishing potions and he's coming along. Dumbledore felt much more comfortable with _us_ raising him than anyone else. It took time, effort, and caring for us to help Harry out of his shell, to _trust_ us, to trust _people_ again, and he still has a long way to go. You think you _understand _him better? That you _know _better?" he almost whispered. Molly seemed to have finally regained her voice.

"Sirius, I…I'm so sorry. I-I had no idea," she whispered, horrified by Harry's short life's story. Sirius sighed with a soft smile.

"I know, Molly. And…it's okay. I guess I really can't blame you. In a normal case, you'd probably know better than me…seven kids and all," he commented with a faint grin. She smiled lightly.

"But Harry _does_ need a friend, and as Ron seems to have become the choice, I suppose I have to ask you whether it's okay for occasionally visits between them," he said.

"...Ron would love it, as would the others. I think it's a wonderful idea."

"Good," interjected Remus, finally speaking up after watching the 'tennis match' between the two. "Now that we're all on speaking terms, Harry's birthday is coming up, Molly, _and_-"

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_-Ten minutes before, Harry and Ron at the table-_

"Harry! See! We told you, guys!" Fred and George exclaimed in unison as they jumped to their feet, causing the other children to whip around.

"Hi…" Harry shyly addressed the six. A girl slightly younger than Harry smiled timidly then returned to the drawing that she had presently been doing.

"You weren't kidding!" a boy older than Harry said, walking up to Harry and looking at his forehead.

"I'm Charlie by the way," he introduced himself grinning as he grabbed Harry's hand and shook it. Another boy, who looked younger than Charlie, came up and quickly pushed his brother out of the way.

"I am Percy Weasley, Mr. Potter, and it is an _honor_," he stated, shaking Harry's hand with both of his, an air of pompousness about him. The last and eldest looking boy rolled his eyes at his brother then came over as well, easily pushing an indignant - for being pushed - Percy out of the way.

"Hiya, Harry, you can call me Bill. Percy, here, doesn't seem to know the difference between a famous person and the Minister of Magic. Hehe, sorry 'bout him," he explained with a chuckle. "Come and get something to eat. Sad to say though…they're corned beef sandwiches…" he sighed resignedly.

_…Famous?_

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**A/N:** Famous? Yea, explanations are definitely in order. How'd you like it? Don't forget to give some input on what you think. Review if you would please, they are the motivators. hint hint -Grins- Until next time… .


	15. Explanation

**Disclaimer:** You already know I own nothing. Why must I put this here?

**Chapter Summary: **Harry is given the reason behind his fame.

**A/N: **Told you the next chapter would be out soon. And here it is! You didn't have to wait long at all now did you? :-)

Chapter 15: Explanation

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Three days before Harry's birthday found Sirius teaching Harry to play Exploding Snap, with an old deck of his, on the living room coffee table. Harry was a quick study, Sirius soon came to realize, for he picked the game up easily and had begun to beat Sirius after the fourth game. Remus was sitting on a sofa chair next to them, reading a book on Elementals.

"Padfoot…?" Harry tentatively interrupted his Godfather who was planning the next card he should put down.

"Yeah, Prongslet?" Sirius replied absentmindedly.

"Am I…famous?" he asked curiously, cautiously, causing Sirius to peer over at him inquisitorially and Remus to slowly glance up from his book.

"Why do you ask?" Sirius questioned uncertainly, wondering if he was ready for the explanation he was going to have to give. One thing he had promised himself when Harry was born was that he would never lie to him, and he was not going to start now.

"Evwrybody knows me…and sometimes act…funny awound me. They always look at my fowhead, and even Bill said that I was famous," Harry stated quietly, watching his Godfather's every move and trying to decipher his emotions. Sirius took a steadying breath…this was the moment…and it was on his shoulders.

"Harry…do you know…what happened to your mum and dad?" Sirius asked thinking this was the best place to start.

"Yes," he answered truthfully.

"You do?" said Remus, voicing his friend's thoughts and indirectly telling Sirius that he was not going to leave him alone in this, for which Sirius was extremely grateful.

"Uh huh," replied Harry, sadness in his voice. "They died…in a caw cwash." Sirius felt like exploding with anger.

_They lied to him! Prongs, die in a car crash! I could kill those sons of… _Sirius's train of thought shifted when he noticed Harry's apprehensiveness at his feelings of hatred.

"No, no, no, kiddo, I'm not angry with _you_!" Sirius soothed, motioning for him to come over and sit with him. Harry seemed wary, but, obeying, came and sat in front of his Godfather, as both were on the floor.

"I am _not_ mad at you, Prongslet. I'm mad at your Aunt and Uncle. For everything they've done, and now…for lying to you," Sirius clarified. Harry looked confused.

"What do you mean?" Harry inquired in his child-like voice.

"Harry…your mum and dad…James and Lily…they didn't die in a car crash."

_They didn't? Then how…_

"They were murdered," Sirius difficultly divulged. Harry seemed pensive for a few minutes, his gaze falling to his hands, but then he glanced back up and asked timidly, "What's 'mur-dered'?" Sirius had battling emotions well up inside him. Happiness that Harry did not know what the word meant and sadness that he now had to be introduced to it.

_How do you explain cold blooded murder to a child? _he thought.

Remus set his book down patiently and joined the two on the floor.

"Murder, Harry, is when someone kills somebody else," Remus explained.

"Who would want to kill somebody else?" Harry asked incredulously. His two guardians smiled sadly at their charge's innocence.

"Bad people, evil people," said the Lupin, in words Harry would understand.

"Wizards can be bad, too?"

"Some wizards…can be very bad," Remus replied sadly.

"Not us…right?"

"No, Harry, not us," said Sirius smiling softly. Harry smiled slightly back, before his expression became pensive again.

_The green light was magic…they were murdered…_ Harry thought, sadness filling him.

"But who…who would…?" Harry asked, his voice beginning to shake. Sirius felt his heart constrict, the last thing he wanted to do was to cause Harry more pain…but there was no other way around it.

"An evil wizard named Voldemort, Harry. And people today still fear to say his name. They call him You-Know-Who," said Sirius. "Your dad was a wizard through and through, and a strong one at that. Voldemort had been gathering followers, called Death Eaters, and had wanted your dad to join him as well. Which James didn't because he hated everything to do with Dark Wizards. Voldemort promised him death for that. Then James married Lily, and had you. Voldemort knew he had to do something fast for when you grew up he would have two enemies he didn't want to have. The problem was, he didn't know where you all were hiding. Your house had a charm on it so that only one person knew where it was. Peter Pettigrew, who we thought was our friend. But Peter, as it turned out, was a Death Eater too and he told Voldemort where your house was. When you were one-year-old…he…he went there, planning on killing all three of you. He…he killed Prongs first, who was trying to save you and Lily, and then Lily, who was trying to save you, too. Then…the killing curse that had killed so many…didn't work on you. It…it didn't work. It bounced back and hit him…no one's heard from him since."

Harry had started crying near the end of Sirius's story, and was currently in his Godfather's arms sobbing. Sirius felt torn to pieces, he felt like crying, but he knew he had done his mourning over Prongs and Lily's death, and that it was now Harry's turn. He, Sirius, needed to be Harry's soothing shoulder, the strong one, the comforting one. Remus, too, knew it would do the situation no good if he cried. It would more than likely make Harry cry even more, and that was something he did not want to be responsible for. The boy seemed to be going through enough as it was.

_Merlin knows how our emotions are affecting him already…_ Remus thought.

The three stayed that way for a good hour. Thirty minutes into it Harry's sobbing had slowly come to a stop but his face was still hidden in the folds of Sirius' robes. The last thirty minutes consisted of Sirius wondering if Harry had worn himself out so much that the boy had fallen asleep. Sirius' thoughts were proven false, however, when after the long hour, Harry showed his tear stained face.

"Prongslet…" Sirius rasped, not knowing exactly what to say.

"Did…did they love me?" Harry looked up at Sirius, then Remus, then Sirius again, his bright green eyes shining with a deep desire to know this one question.

"So much," Sirius stated, tears forming in his eyes. "You were everything to them, their pride and joy. You meant so much," Sirius wrapped his arms around Harry, bringing him closer. "Just like you do to us," Sirius rubbed his nose in Harry's tuft of black hair.

"Padfoot…Moony?"

"Mhmm," came the two men's reply.

"I love you."

Amber met bluish-grey for a moment before they both turned their soft, fond gazes back down to Harry. "We love you, too, Prongslet."

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"Is it why?" Harry inquired, fifteen minutes later, as Sirius tucked him in.

"Is it why, what?" Sirius asked, sitting down on Harry's bed and brushing the emerald eyed boy's bangs out of his eyes.

"I'm famous, because I _didn't_ die?" Harry elaborated. Sirius sighed sadly.

"You are, kiddo. All because your mum loved you so much, that she sacrificed herself to save you. And it worked." Harry smiled sadly.

"I wish…I wish I wasn't."

"I know, Harry…I know," Sirius replied as he kissed Harry atop the forehead.

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"You think I should've told him about the chance that Voldemort might come back?" asked Sirius, who sat at the kitchen table drinking a Butterbeer.

"No. Not yet, anyway. He shouldn't have to worry about that until later. He's young." Remus took a sip of his tea, seated across from Sirius.

"Yeah, I guess your right. He wishes it'd have never happened, you know."

"Who wouldn't? In exchange for fame, he lost his parents. I'd have wanted it to never have happened, as well."

"It kills me to see him heartbroken, Moony."

"It had to be done, Padfoot. He has to go through the pain of it if we ever want him to move on. You had to tell him sometime, better now than later, don't you think?"

"Granted…but still."

"If it's any recompenses, I think you did good tonight. You went through with explaining the truth to Harry in a way he would understand. Not many people can do that. You didn't think you'd be able to do it, but you did," Remus said truthfully. Sirius smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Moony."

"It's the truth."

"Not just for that."

"No?"

"No."

"Why then?"

"For being there for me tonight. I meant a lot to me. I was sure you'd walk out and leave it all up to me."

"What kind of friend do you take me for?" Remus asked smirking. Sirius grinned sheepishly.

"Marauders stick together, our number one rule, remember?"

"How could I forget?"

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**A/N: **You all seemed to love that Sirius-Molly argument. Haha. I liked it when I was writing it. It seemed to just 'fit', in my opinion anyway. Thanks to all the reviewers who've been with me from the start and also to the ones who just recently found this story. Keep reviewing and I'll keep posting. Most of the questions asked in the reviews will be answered in later chapters. As for Harry and his potions, he only had to drink them for a week and he's been with Sirius and Remus for more than a few weeks now. Chapter 16 will be out hopefully this week and yes it will contain Harry's b-day.


	16. Harry's Birthday

**Disclaimer:** You already know I own nothing. Why must I put this here?

**Chapter Summary: **The long awaited chapter that celebrates Harry's Fourth Birthday! :-)

**A/N:** Finally the long awaited chapter! Your reviews always bring a smile to my face, and I hope you like this chapter as much as you've like the previous ones!

Chapter 16: Harry's Birthday

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"Harry," Remus whispered, shaking the boy gently, trying to wake him from his sleep.

"…Harry, wake up, cub," he persisted. After a few drawn out seconds, Harry blearily opened his eyes and rubbed them.

"Moony?" Harry inquired tiredly.

"Morning," greeted Remus, grinning. "I thought you might want to get up earlier today."

"Why?" asked Harry confusedly.

"Don't you know?" Remus inquired, surprised. Harry shook his head 'no' as he sat up, no longer feeling that sleepy, but curious instead.

"It's your birthday, Harry" Remus stated smiling. Harry's emerald eyes widened.

"M-_my_ birthday?" Harry asked, amazed.

"If you were born four years ago, then yes," Remus grinned. Harry's eyes lit up at this, grinning back.

_My birthday!_ He thought excitedly; that is...before another thought crossed his mind, his face falling a good deal.

"I've…never had one before. Only Dudley," he sighed sadly. "I'm not awowed." Remus could not help but frown slightly at this pronouncement. There had to be a way to get Harry to completely understand that the rules of there did not comply here. He cupped Harry's cheeks in his hands and smiled reassuringly.

"Harry, you know things are different with us. And I can assure you that a year won't go by without us celebrating your birthday to the best of our ability. We care about you," Remus said affectionately. Harry smiled.

"Now then, Sirius is still asleep. What do you say we go wake him up?" Remus offered, eyes holding a mischievous glint, the one that only a select few had ever truly seen. Harry nodded before quickly crawling out of bed, pajamas and all, running for his Godfather's room. He tiptoed to Sirius's bed, when he got there however, and climbed on as quiet as a mouse. His first intention was to jump up and down on the bed, but thought better of it.

_He might not like that…_ Harry self-consciously told himself. So instead he crawled over to Sirius's sleeping form and nudged him…to no avail.

"Padfoot," he said loudly. "Wake up, sleepy head." Still nothing. Harry looked back at Remus pleadingly, who was leaning casually in the doorway,

"Magic," Remus mouthed, giving Harry permission to use any means. Harry looked hesitant.

_Fire? _The Potter heir thought doubtfully. Though the amused look on Remus's face was encouraging and Harry relented and decided heat was the better choice. He placed his concentration solely on the bed. After a few seconds the bed began to get hotter and hotter, unfelt by Harry but felt fully by Sirius, who yelped loudly and jumped up from the bed.

"What in the-!" Sirius started but was cut off by loud giggles.

"Prongslet??"

"Uh-huh!" Harry giggled.

"You did this? You…find this funny don't you?" Sirius questioned in mock annoyance. Harry nodded grinning.

"I'll show you 'funny'!" Sirius said playfully jumping back on the bed and tickling his Godson mercilessly. Harry was quickly laughing uncontrollably.

"P-Padfoot!" he gasped through his laughter.

"Nope, can't hear you. No one pranks Sirius Black without receiving payback, kiddo," Sirius chuckled as he continued.

"M-Moony…M-M-Moony t-told me," Harry gasped through laughter again, causing Sirius to stop and let Harry catch his breath.

"What'd you say?"

"Moony…" Harry panted smiling. "H-he told me to." Sirius's gaze shifted to the doorway where Remus remained looking, if possible, more amused.

"_You're_ the culprit," Sirius whispered dangerously.

"_Me_? You'd believe _him_?" Remus asked in mock innocence. Sirius looked down at his Godson, who eyes had a 'James' glint to them, then looked back at Remus.

"Remus Lupin, you've been charged with the corruption of Prongs Potter's son, Prongslet Potter, and are consequently sentenced to an attack by wand," Sirius declared, before picking up his wand from his nightstand, amid Harry's newfound giggles. Sirius sent a hex at Remus, who easily dodged it and looked at Sirius incredulously.

"You're serious about this."

"I couldn't be anyone else," Sirius smirked as he sent another hex that Remus deflected with 'Protego'. Before long there was an all out battle of hexes going on between the two men that led from the bedroom, to the hall, and ending on the first floor. Remus quickly found himself back in a corner, Sirius' wand pointing threateningly at his chest, a mischievous smirk playing at the Black's lips.

"Wait!" Harry piped up after having watched the whole affair in fascination. He quickly placed himself between Sirius and Remus.

"Don't hurt Moony." The boy supplicated. "He didn't mean it. It was _my _fault. Don't be mad at him."

"Aw, Prongslet, I'm just playing," Sirius smiled, placing his wand in his pocket, picking up his Godson, and kissing him on the forehead.

"You're not mad?" Harry repeated doubtfully.

"No way! Mad that my Godson's learning the Marauder way, from Moony, no less? Never happen," Sirius grinned.

"By the way, Mr. Four-year-old, Happy Birthday," the Black acknowledged brightly, ruffling Harry's hair affectionately.

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That morning had consisted of a delicious breakfast of FlapJacks made personally by Sirius who, it turned out, could cook …Well…flapjacks anyway, as Remus was kind enough to point out. But at the moment – afternoon - Harry was blindfolded and was in his Godfather's arms as they apparated to a place Harry did not know of. Harry was now not as scared of it as before, but Sirius could have done without the tight grip Harry had had him in. When they arrived the emerald eyed boy heard whispering and muffled giggles. Sirius gently placed Harry down, a grin on his face, and took off the blindfold.

"Happy Birthday, Harry!" shouted all the Weasley's, coming out of their hiding places. Harry could not hide his surprise, or delight, at the sight of them all.

_Ron's house!_ Harry thought gleefully. The Burrow was covered in many sparkling and color-changing banners that said "Happy 4th Birthday!" Mrs. Weasley gave Harry a hug and introduced him to Mr. Weasley who turned out to be just as nice as the rest, Harry noticed.

All seven Weasley children had a present in their hands, which they all seemed eager to give to Harry.

"Now, now, children, lets not rush into the presents!" Mrs. Weasley reprimanded. This made Harry look slightly crestfallen but he quickly recovered at Mrs. Weasley's next sentence.

"First we should have cake; and Ron, you should give Harry a tour."

The kids seemed to all be fine with the idea; the only problem, now, was _which_ two people got to sit next to Harry. Ron, naturally, got a spot on Harry's right side and after an argument that only subsided after Mr. Weasley said that Ginny could sit on Harry's left, for Ginny had not gotten into the fight. Sad to say, many glares were sent in the young girl's direction, mostly by Percy, while everyone sang Harry "Happy Birthday" and ate cake. Once finished Ron quietly sneaked Harry out of the kitchen before his brothers could stop him, then proceeded to show him the house.

"This is Fred and George's room."

"Messy…"

"This is Percy's."

"Too clean…and…is that a mouse?"

"This is Mum and Dad's."

"Big."

"This is Bill and Charlie's."

"Cool, Dwagon pictures!"

"This is Ginny's."

"It's…Pink."

"And lastly, my room," Ron stated proudly.

"Wow…"

Ron's room was covered in orange Chudley Cannon posters and bedspread.

"It's probably not as prettiful as yours," the youngest Weasley male admitted.

"It's the nicest room I've ever seen," Harry confessed truthfully, causing Ron to smile.

"Prongslet, you do want the presents, don't ya?" Sirius's voice floated up to the room. Harry and Ron looked at each other for a moment before dashing back down the stairs. Harry opened Ron's first. It was a box of Bertie Bots every flavor beans and a moving Picture book on Quidditch; that, to Harry, was the best thing he had ever received because…well, he had never received anything before.

"Thank you!"

Fred and George got him a jar of Cockroach Cluster, which Ron immediately told him were _not_ peanuts.

"They'we not?"

Bill got him five Chocolate Frogs and told him about beginning a Wizarding Card collection.

"Not real frogs…right?"

Charlie got him some Licorice Wands and a stuffed Dragon, disappointedly saying that his mum would not let him get a real one.

"Dwagons are _real_?" Charlie's mouth had to be covered by Bill before he went on a never ending explanation on Dragons, his favorite creatures.

Ginny shyly gave him pair of knitted red and gold gloves that she had made with the help of her mother.

"Wow, thank you, I've never had gloves before."

Percy got Harry a book called "Laws of The Ministry of Magic" which Ron said he would not read even if he _could_ read, causing Harry to giggle and Percy to look furiously at his brother.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave Harry a newly sown blue shirt that had the letter "H" in gold lettering.

"Can I wear it now?" he asked happily, and with a nod from Molly, slipped it over his head and over his other shirt.

Right when Sirius, who had been excitedly waiting for Harry to open his and Remus' presents, was about to give their gifts to Harry, there was a knock at the door. Mr. Weasley went to answer it and Dumbledore swept in, in his very Dumbledore-ish fashion.

"Sorry, for my tardiness. I was held up by Severus who had some things to inform me of," Dumbledore apologized.

"It's okay," Harry replied smiling before anyone else had finished processing what Dumbledore had said.

"Ah, Harry, a very happy birthday to you," the Hogwarts Headmaster greeted, blue eyes sparkling, smiling warmly at the now four year old. Harry flashed the world renowned 'Potter' grin. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as well as Sirius and Remus exchanged greetings with their old headmaster.

"Oh, yes…" Dumbledore said as he pulled out from his purple robes a wrapped gift and handed it to Harry. "Here you are, my boy." Harry opened it to reveal a chain necklace that had an amulet on it with an emerald in the center.

"It was your mother's. She left it in my possession and I thought you would like to have it." Dumbledore stated kindly. Harry gazed at it closely. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and was not sure what to say. He looked back up at the white bearded man.

"Thank you, sir," he said as he put it on. Dumbledore smiled and nodded once before sitting down on a chair.

Sirius had outdone himself in the buying of Harry's presents, Remus noticed. Harry could barely say thank you for one thing before another great thing was thrust upon him. He received a new Wizard's Chess set, a new Gobstones set, a new pack of Exploding Snap cards, a lot of new clothes, new toys, and candy.

"Sirius I have one thing to say to you," Remus sighed. "Self-Control." Sirius had a sheepish look on his face.

"I couldn't help it. I saw it and just had to get it Moony, you'd have done the same," the canine Animagus answered.

The next present Harry opened caused his breath to catch in his throat. It was a photo album. Not a regular one, but one that was full of pictures of his Mum and Dad. The room was silent as he slowly and carefully went from page to page. There where pictures of teenage James with Sirius, Remus, and Peter, pictures of James and Lily's wedding day, pictures of Lily pregnant and James' proud face, pictures of baby Harry, pictures of Sirius and Remus with baby Harry while Peter looked on from afar…many, many pictures. After a little while Harry looked up at his expecting guardians with tears in his eyes that melted Sirius and Remus' hearts. He softly set the album down and hugged both of them.

"It's the goodest," he whispered gratefully. They hugged him back and after a few seconds let go. Harry wiped his eyes and smiled.

"Go on, there's more over there," Sirius urged, motioning toward the pile that remained. Harry nodded and returned to opening. Remus had gotten Harry a toy snitch, a new traveling cloak, and a coloring book with crayons.

Harry's last gift from his guardians was one that confused Harry.

_A bwoom?_ Harry though incredulously, memories of his time at the Dursley's creeping up on him.

"The new Nimbus 500, Prongslet. Remember that one you saw in Diagon Ally that day?" Sirius reminded grinning. Harry nodded, still not getting it. Sirius, who had been expecting the happiest little boy this side of England, was surprised but then understanding struck.

"You don't know what it's for, do you?"

"…Cleaning?" Harry attempted reluctantly. Sirius let out a bark like laugh, causing Harry to let out his held breath.

_Not for cleaning_, Harry deduced, fully relieved.

"No, kiddo, not cleaning. A broom is for _flying_," Sirius clarified for his small charge. Harry's eyes lit up, and he quickly jumped to his feet, broom in hand.

"Can I try it now? Will you teach me? Pwease, Padfoot?" Harry excitedly requested, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet.

_Flying! Really flying! Draco was right. Bwooms aren't just bwooms_, Harry thought as he eagerly awaited Sirius' answer. Needless to say, the Weasley boys were all eyeing Harry's new broom in awe, and did not seem to be able to speak.

"Sure, Prongslet," Sirius replied, only too happy to.

"Sirius…" Remus warned. "I don't really think that's-" he began but was cut off by his friend.

"Aww, Moony, it's in his blood! It'd be an insult to James if I didn't!"

"I'm not saying, never, I'm just saying he's young," Remus mended. Harry's face fell. "It's dangerous…"

"No more dangerous than _some_ situations he's been in," Sirius stated with a pointed look at Remus. Remus looked surprised by this comeback.

"I didn't purposely-" Remus began to retort, annoyed, but was again cut off.

"Look, I'm sorry, Moony. I know it's because you care, and...I shouldn't have said that. I'll be right there and I won't let him out of my sight, alrighty?" replied the bluish-grey eyed male. Remus sighed and nodded. The others were silent through this, and Harry had been looking back and forth, a bemused look on his face.

"So…can I have a go after you, Harry?" asked Charlie into the silence, earning him a glare from his mother that easily shut him up.

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It took little to no time for Harry to get the hang of the broom. It had a knob with levels on it that could only be moved by magic and Sirius had set it to the 'Child' level so that the broom would not go more than five feet high and no more than five miles per hour. He had walked Harry through every step of mounting and basic flying maneuvers, and Harry had never enjoyed himself more. He loved the feeling that came with flying. It was…liberating. He was still slightly confused about the short squabble between his Guardians but it had left his mind the second he was in the air. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley where inside talking with Dumbledore and Remus, while the kids were outside watching Harry avidly.

"I'm next," Ron stated knowingly. "He'll pick me."

"Will not," Fred and George retorted. "He'll pick someone who knows how to _really_ fly."

"Be quiet, you'll scare Scabbers. He's been edgy today, and I don't want him to bite me," Percy snapped at the three, Scabbers in hand.

Little did any of them know that someone outside of the invited was there. Someone who was _not_ Peter Pettigrew, but was here on Pettigrew's information. Hidden well in the trees, he unsheathed his wand and pointed it steadily at Harry. With a few choice words he easily switched the broom to 'Expert' and took control of it with his wand.

_What was that?_ Harry thought as the broom gave a twitch, then a jerk, then another, and then shot up ten feet. It took a second but Harry soon realized he could not direct the broom to the ground. The broom gave two more jerks, stronger ones that made fear rise up in the young Potter heir.

"Padfoot!" he called out, panic evident in his voice. Sirius, who had been conversing with Ginny - who had been asking question after question about Harry - , looked up, eyes widening at the sight he saw. Harry's broom was going crazy, left, right, left, right, up, down, up, down, and Harry was holding on as tight as he could, practically hugging the broom.

"Hold on, Kiddo!" Sirius shouted, trying to hide his fear as he whipped out his wand. He tried every incantation he knew on stopping things but each spell made it jerk more or raise more.

_What's wrong with it??_ he thought franticly, heart almost stopping when the broom bucked and tossed Harry off the side, dangling him. Ginny screamed and ran inside, leaving her speechless brothers, who either had not learned magic yet or were not allowed to use it even though they did know some.

Harry had his eyes clamped shut in fear, he knew Padfoot was trying, he had seen him. The broom jerked violently and he almost lost his grip, and a scream escaped his lips.

"No…no, stop, pwease stop," he whispered to no avail. A worried Remus, Dumbledore, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley quickly exited the house after hearing Ginny's crying tale.

"What happened?" Remus demanded, voice an octave higher than usual, not taking his eyes off Harry.

"I don't know. He was fine…he was fine…" Sirius murmured to himself, not wanting to believe what he was seeing…what he could not seem to stop. Remus took his wand out and Sirius stopped him from saying any incantations.

"It'll worsen," he stated gravely. Remus eyed him, and realized that if Sirius had tried everything and it had not worked, what could he do? So he turned to Dumbledore, helplessness beginning to consume him.

"Albus-" he began, dread filling him, but Dumbledore spoke, cutting him off.

"It is being controlled," he said knowingly. "No child could do that to a broom."

It was at that moment that a collective gasp was gathered, breathing stopped, and time seemed to go in slow motion as Harry's fingers lost their grasp and he began to fall, his screams piercing the air.

"No!" Sirius yelled, not willing to let the boy hit the ground. "Wingardium-"

But he stopped for Harry had in that instant disappeared in a burst of flames. Shocked, Sirius slowly lowered his wand, breathing heavy, trying to figure out what happened, blinking rapidly. Remus fell to his knees sobs rising in his throat...there was nothing they could do.

Another burst of flame appeared three feet in front of them and there stood Harry, sweating profusely and breathing labouredly. His vision blurred something terrible and he swayed dangerously on his feet. Before anyone could react, shocked as they all currently were, Harry collapsed into darkness' thick embrace…

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**A/N: **Cliffy…You are all going to kill me for that, aren't you? –Sighs- It can't be helped. Hope you did like it, though. It's my longest chapter yet! Wow…I don't know what possessed me but I just could not stop typing. It took all my will power to stop where I did. Anyway, chapter 17 will be out as soon as I finish it. Read and Review and tell me what you think of this chapter? Hated it? Loved it? It was _Ok_? Keep me informed, hehe. Until next time,

Japanime1


	17. Death Eater's Punishment

**Disclaimer: **This seems kinda pointless by now. What do I own? Nothing that's J.K's that's for sure, cuz I would not be here, I'd be out there making Billions.

**Chapter Summary: **Voldemort is not one to accept mistakes...

**A/N: **Yay, I was not killed for the horrible cliffy! And for your generousness, in a time that didn't require you to be, I am posting this next chapter sooner than my usual. –Smiles- Hope you all enjoy.

Chapter 17: Death Eater's Punishment

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"Harry!" cried the worried Sirius and Remus in unison. They were at his side in an instant, Remus lifting Harry's head up with one hand and fondly brushed the boy's sweaty bangs out of his face with the other.

"Is he okay? Is he alright?" asked Sirius looking at Remus for an answer.

_Harry, oh, Harry…This is my fault why didn't I listen to Moony? I'm such a git…_

Remus looked contemplative as he touched Harry's forehead, then checked the boy's pulse as a very slight relieved look spread across his face.

"He's alive, thank Merlin, but by a hair Padfoot," Remus informed his friend. Sirius paled somewhat.

"Harry's used his magic before, but not like this. That was too advanced for his age as an Elemental and sapped a lot out of him. I'm surprised he's even…he could be out for…days."

Sirius slowly glanced back at his Godson, placing a hand softly on the boy's hot cheek.

_Prongslet…_

"He's burning up," Sirius said shakily.

"I know…I know..."

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While the two were with Harry, Mrs. Weasley was in a state of shock.

"H-He…H-he's a…Harry's a…" she did not seem to be able to form correct sentences for her thoughts.

"Dumbledore?" questioned Mr. Weasley turning to his left to find…no one. "Where'd he go?"

"Arthur…the children, they should…"

"Oh, yes, of course dear. Kids, inside, we will talk about this later," Mr. Weasley ordered his children, only to be met with an immediate wave of protests.

"You heard your father!" said Mrs. Weasley sternly, leaving no room for argument. The children grudgingly obeyed and trudged back to the house.

"Come on, Molly. They've got this under control, we shouldn't become a burden," Mr. Weasley told to his wife, who looked like going back inside was the last thing she wanted to do.

"What about whoever did this?" she asked concernedly.

"I'll bet anything that that's what Dumbledore is finding out as we speak," he replied, certain. She nodded reluctantly and followed her husband into the house.

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The two men stood, and Remus, as careful as careful could be, transferred Sirius' limp Godson to his Godfather's arms, watching him for any signs of life other than his shallow breathing, which seemed horribly labored in the Lupin's opinion.

"We need to get him St. Mungo's," Remus stated once the young Potter was in Sirius' arms, worry evident in his voice and features. "He needs medical attention…soon."

"Why not Madam Pomfrey?" Sirius inquired, taken aback.

"She's a good nurse, Sirius, a really good one. But what's wrong with Harry is deeper than what she studied to become a basic healer, much deeper."

"You're scaring me, Moony."

"Not as much as I could…" sighed Remus gravely.

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"Not getting ready to do something you'd regret, I'd hope," said the calm and collected voice of Albus Dumbledore. The man, who had been about to send an Unforgivable at the two men with Harry, whipped around, startled, wand pointed now at Dumbledore. The man had wavy dark golden-brown hair and a youthful face with hazel eyes.

"Dumbledore," he said with disdain, keeping the alarm in his voice unnoticeable. This had not been in his plan.

"It has been a very long time, Xantos. I must say…I have not seen you since you were close to the age of fifteen," the older man stated, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Not for lack of trying, I expect," Xantos sneered.

"The same bitterness after all these years," Dumbledore sighed.

"Did you actually anticipate a change?" Xantos smirked. The Hogwart's Headmaster sighed as if expecting as much, and took a step toward the man. Xantos cursed under his breath. Staying would mean a fight with Dumbledore, which was not something he particularly wanted to do at the moment. It was time to go…for now anyway.

"The Dark Lord will have the boy, Dumbledore, no matter how many preventions you try and make," said Xantos maliciously before a loud resounding crack split the air, and he was gone.

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"Why that little-" Sirius snarled through gritted teeth as the two gazed toward the direction of the load crack, but Remus cut him off.

"Take a breath Padfoot, who is our priority here?" Remus asked, knowing what was going through his friends mind…for it was going through his as well; only he was better at fighting his impulses. Sirius nodded knowingly, just as Dumbledore emerged from the forest.

"It was indeed a Death Eater, for which I had no doubt," the elder wizard answered the unasked question as he approached.

"But how could they have known Harry would be here, of all places?" Remus voiced concernedly.

"Snivellus," Sirius concluded darkly. "Only _he_ knew about today, Dumbledore. He would be the only one who could tell that-" But for the second time that day Sirius was cut off…it was beginning to annoy him.

"I trust Severus completely, Sirius. He would do no such thing."

"How can you say that after what just happened?" the dog Animagus fumed.

"Because Severus informed me this morning that Voldemort had a spy in a very good location. The problem was, Severus, himself, knew not who it was," Dumbledore explained.

"What a load of bullocks!"

"Sirius!" Remus tried to reason.

"Don't tell me you _believe_ Snape's story," Sirius angrily rounded on the lycanthrope.

"It's plausible, Sirius. We shouldn't rule it out," Remus stated calmly. Sirius glared at his friend. It _might_ be plausible, Sirius knew, but he would not believe Snape even if the greasy haired git drank a cupful of Veritaserum.

"This is not something we should be squabbling about at the moment," Dumbledore told the two. "Harry is in dire need." The two men, pushing aside their disagreements, for Harry's sake, nodded.

"What about you?" Remus inquired.

"I believe the Weasley's would very much like some questions answered," said Dumbledore knowingly. Remus nodded understandingly then turned to Sirius.

"Ready?"

"Been."

Two loud cracks split the air.

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"_Partially_ completed?" hissed an icy cold voice dangerously from the chair in which he sat. On the floor in front of him kneeled his servant; one who had miscalculated…and Voldemort did not take miscalculation lightly.

"M-Master I beg your forgiveness, I-I…"

"Forgiveness?" hissed the voice again, so low that it sent shivers down the Death Eaters spine. "Forgiveness? I do not tolerate incompleteness, Xantos," he whispered coldly.

"B-But, m-my Lord. Dumbledore, h-he…"

"That is no reason to _not _complete your mission!" Voldemort snapped furiously, raising his wand with the hand of the body he was currently possessing. "Crucio!"

The room became full of Xantos' screams as he convulsed and twisted on the floor, pain consuming his every limb. After a few minutes, that seemed an eternity to Xantos, the Dark Lord lifted the curse.

"Forgiveness, Xantos, is something you do not deserve. I requested Potter and because of your cowardice at the sight of that old fool, I do not have him before me," Voldemort seethed. Gasping painfully for breath Xantos returned to his knees in front of his master.

"I won't fail you again, My Lord," he assured. "I-I have a plan."

"See to it that you do not fail, for if you do, lengthy Crucio's shall be the least of your concerns…" Xantos nodded, knowing that this time, his plan would have no flaws whatsoever.

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**A/N:** Whew, I finished this one in good time. Aren't you all happy? Hehe. Chapter 18 will hopefully be done faster , huh?

Anyway, how'd you all like this chapter? Good, bad, horrible, wonderful?

I'm going to answer a review here, mmkay?

Crimson Katana – I don't think I'm going to skip all the way to age 11, but I won't go through _each and_ _every_ year. I'll most likely skip a year or two, here and there as the story progresses.

Thanks to all who reviewed, you all are great motivators.

Until the next Chapter then, ta ta.


	18. St Mungo's Hospital

**Disclaimer: **This seems kinda pointless by now. What do I own? Nothing. It's all J.K's, that's for sure, cuz I wouldn't be here. I'd be out there making Billions.

**Chapter Summary: **Sirius and Remus take Harry to St. Mungo's.

**A/N: **Ah, the supportive reviews, they get me every time. I can't see how, but they just give me the yearning to post. –Smiles-

Chapter 18: St. Mungo's Hospital

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"But…" mumbled Sirius, with a reluctant countenance, as he tightened the hold he had on his unconscious Godson.

"Sir, I understand how you feel. First time parents go through this same thing on the first day of school, but if you want me to find out what is wrong with your son, you'll _have_ to hand him over," the Healer told him gently.

Sirius was reeling with mixed emotions. First was his overwhelming worry for Harry, and his equally overcoming feeling of not wanting to let the boy go. It was officially kicking in…his 'Separation Anxiety' issues… Not to mention his current conflicting feelings, thanks to the Healer, of inner happiness at practically being called Harry's _father_, and sadness because he felt that his happiness betrayed Prongs on some level.

If Sirius was going through emotional overload, that was little to say about Remus, who felt the same, if not worse, but knew how to hide it well.

Sirius closed his eyes, took a deep intake of breath, released it, opened his eyes, and nodded resignedly. He lowered Harry slowly, and with great care, onto the levitated gurney, and allowed the Healer to take him. The moment said Healer had rounded the corner, however, Sirius made a convulsive motion to follow her. Although, before he could get two feet away, Remus reached out and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, causing the distressed man to turn around, a pleading look on his face. Remus solemnly shook his head 'no'.

"He…He's going to be fine, Padfoot. We got him here, there's nothing more to do but let the Healers do _their_ job. Now is not the time to have one of your Separation Anxiety attacks," Remus smiled softly, hoping to have lightened the mood with his last remark. Which it did, somewhat. Sirius could not help but smile back and see the logic to his friend's words, even if he did not necessarily _want_ to.

"I do need to learn to control it," Sirius sighed.

The two sat down in the waiting area, knowing that until the Healer returned with news, they would be unable to see their Charge. A pensive silence fell between them as they contemplated the day's events. Seconds passed to minutes, minutes to an hour and an hour to two before Sirius spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Remus…"

"Yes?" the Lupin replied, startled out of his thoughts.

"It's my fault, isn't it?

"What is?

"What happened to Harry."

"Why would you think that?"

"You told me…you told me not to," Sirius stated, conviction in his voice, sounding just like he had at fifteen when he had said the same thing for something else entirely. Remus quickly understood his friend's inner turmoil.

"Sirius, what happened today was anything but your fault."

"But you-"

"I told you not to take him flying, but you did, and, truth be told, it's a very _good_ thing you did."

Sirius was taken aback by this and looked at Remus with narrowed eyes.

"How so?"

"Think about it. If you hadn't taken him out to teach him how to fly, the Weasley kids would have asked to go play outside with him anyway, and we all would've agreed. We would've stayed inside talking, and Harry would probably be gone right now. I for one, would rather him have to be here and healable, than there, and not," the Lupin explained earnestly. Sirius' eyes softened.

"Thanks, Moony," he said gratefully. It was then that they were interrupted by the Healer who had taken Harry earlier.

"Sirs, if you wish, you may now come and see your son on the fourth floor, room 303. A lot of magic had been drained from him, he was running a record fever that we're not sure how he survived from, but he should be fine soon. He's weak, but we're stabilizing him and he is at least out of critical condition, and is resting. He should stay here for a few nights, at least until he is up to top form," the Healer informed them. Sirius and Remus looked at each other with soft smiles on their faces, then at the Healer and nodded their thanks. With that, the Healer left.

"Do you think she thinks we're…you know…" Sirius inquired, for the Healer had kept looking from one to the other as if they were going to start hugging and snogging in happiness right then and there.

"Most likely," Remus answered with a weary sigh. "When you look at it from her point of view, it most certainly looked like we were." Sirius shook his head sadly at this pronouncement.

"Let's go see Harry."

The two wizards quickly reached the room their Charge was occupying, and entered. It was overly white, in Sirius' opinion. They found Harry on the sole bed, eyes closed, a peaceful look on his face. Relief washed over them as they came to either of Harry's bedsides.

"Harry…" Sirius almost whispered as he took Harry's small hand into his own, the feeling of guilt rising.

"I'm sorry, Harry," came the voice of Remus from the other side of the bed. Sirius looked up at Remus, surprised.

"I'm so sorry…" Remus looked on the verge of tears as he tenderly brushed Harry's bangs out of his eyes.

Sirius's curiosity wanted to ask why _Remus_ was apologizing, but decided against it. Remus was obviously dealing with his own inner guilt.

"I…should've been there…" Remus stated, more to himself that to anyone else. Sirius opened his mouth to give his friend some comforting words, as Remus had done for him, but a knock on the door stopped him. A Healer stepped in.

"Mr. Black, there is someone out here to see you."

Sirius looked over at Remus who nodded for him to go.

"It's probably Dumbledore, I'll wait with Harry," said the lycanthrope, a slight shake in his voice. Sirius nodded and stood, glancing at his Godson's still form and steady breathing, not wanting to leave, but knowing it would not be for too long.

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"I've spoken with the Weasley's and explained to them of Harry's unique…abilities," Dumbledore informed the Black in the silent hall outside the room. The Hogwarts Headmaster had to leave soon in order to get in touch with Severus Snape about the going-ons of that day and see what more he knew of the matter.

"They did seem shocked when he…well, Flamed, I guess, for lack of a better word," commented Sirius. Dumbledore chuckled at this.

"One of the more well known powers of an Elemental would be that of using their power to travel from one place to the other instantaneously rather than via apparation...I must say it is a much faster form of travel with no chance of splinching. Though, it is usually only developed much later in life. To be used at this age is extremely dangerous," Dumbledore stated knowingly. Sirius gritted his teeth, thinking of all the things he wanted to do to the bloody Death Eater responsible.

"Molly and Arthur took the information well, despite it being something one doesn't encounter every day. They said they will come by later to see young Harry."

This snapped Sirius out of his reverie of revenge.

"He'll like that," the Animagus smiled.

"I do trust he is doing better?" the blue eyed Headmaster inquired.

"Yes, thank Merlin, the Healers brought down his fever. They're working on stabilizing his magical energy level now," the Black replied. Dumbledore nodded in response.

"Yes, it would have been severely low after using such an advanced power. As for the fever, that's understandable as well. Having the element of Fire under his control, it would be obvious that he could also control the heat levels around and in him," Dumbledore mused aloud. Sirius took a second to marvel at the elder wizard's utmost knowledge on the subject, before Remus opened the door and poked his head out, an extremely bright smile on his face.

"He's awake."

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_-Ten Minutes Before-_

Remus sat at Harry's bedside, holding the boy's small hand in his own and caressing it tenderly.

"Harry…you mean so much to us. Do you know that? You might say you do, but _do_ you? Do you _really_?" the Lupin inquired of the sleeping four year old.

"What would we do without you? Our lives…revolve around you now. You're everything to us. You're like…our air," Remus whispered, willing his young Charge to hear him.

"We love you…_I_ love you," he murmured softly, closing his eyes, racked with the guilt of not being able to save the child he held most dear to him. "…So much…"

A single tear escaped him and slid down his cheek. His eyes did not reopen until a small hand reached up and touched his face in a manner that was softer than gentle, wiping the tear away.

_Harry…_ Remus thought affectionately.

"Don't…cry, Moony," said Harry weakly. "…I love you, too."

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**A/N: **-Sighs- Another one done. Did you all enjoy it or loath it? Hope the former, haha. Anyway, a lot of you liked the name Xantos. I liked it too, one of my favs when I was going through names that could match his character and personality, hence the reason it was used. It sounded, evilish to me for some reason, it stood out. Yep. Anywho, you all don't want to hear about that. We'll see more of him later, don't worry about that…wait…maybe you should? Either way.

Hope you all review and tell me what you think. Thanks for everything! Until chapter 19! –Waves bye.-


	19. Recollection

**Disclaimer: **This seems kinda pointless by now. What do I own? Nothing that's J.K's that's for sure, cuz I would not be here, I'd be out there making Billions.

**Chapter Summary: **Sirius and Remus come to a realization.

**A/N: **Wow, I have over 400 reviews! –Squeeeeee.- I am ecstatic - hence the next chapter is coming out today! Lol. Enjoy!

Chapter 19: Recollection

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A smile graced Remus' face as Harry's emerald green orbs gazed into his amber ones. It was on rare occasions that Remus would forget his troubles as a werewolf, and be truly happy. This was one of those times. The last time it had happened was when James and Sirius had said they would stay his friends even _'after' _figuring out what he was.

"Are you okay now…Moony?" asked Harry, his voice soft. Remus leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Harry's forehead.

"I've never been better, Harry. Never," Remus replied in all honesty. Harry smiled and glanced around the room.

"Padfoot's not here," the boy stated honestly, eyes saddening.

_Oh yeah! _Remus thought. He could have hit himself, Padfoot would murder him.

"No, no, no, he's here," Remus corrected reassuringly. "I'll go get him, real quick, mmkay?" Harry grinned and nodded once, but stopped quickly because it caused his head to throb with pain.

_Owwie…I'm sore?_ Harry thought to himself perplexedly. _I haven't had an owwie since…_

Remus stood and crossed the room to the door. He cracked it open, and stuck his head out to check the hallway for signs of Sirius. Said wizard stood conversing with Dumbledore not ten feet away, and, at the sight of the door opening, both men turned their attention to Remus.

"He's awake," the light brown haired young man stated, a huge smile on his face. Sirius' own face lit up immediately, a wide grin spreading across his lips, and he distractedly took a step toward the door before thinking logically - a rare occurance, indeed - and turning back to Dumbledore, who shook his head 'no'.

"Go on, Mr. Black. Do not hold yourself up for my sake, Mr. Potter needs you. I, for one, must go and speak with Severus. I will see the two of you tomorrow."

Sirius nodded gratefully and Remus nodded as well. Dumbledore nodded once, turned, and left. Sirius waited two seconds before dashing into the hospital room behind Remus. Harry's face brightened at the sight of the two.

"Padfoot!" the boy smiled and Sirius beamed.

"Kiddo, you're awake!" Sirius proclaimed happily before sitting down at the foot of his Godson's bed, feeling a surge of relief at the life in Harry's green eyes. Remus returned to his seat on the right side of Harry's bed and watched the scene unfold, a smile on his face.

"Uh-huh."

"You know…I can't believe you woke up without me!" Sirius remarked, a playful pout on his face.

"I can't stop fwom waking up!" Harry replied with a giggle. Sirius sighed dramatically.

"I know! …But still!" was Sirius's childish come back. Harry took this time to truly take in his surroundings, and, as he did so, he came to realize that he did not know this place.

"Where awe we?" Harry inquired, a confused expression crossing his face, as he tried to sit up. But Remus was quick, and carefully pushed him back down.

"Don't sit up, Harry, you need your rest. You're in St. Mungo's Hospital," Remus answered kindly. All that did for Harry was to cause him to become more puzzled.

"The…Howspital? Why? What…happened?" Harry asked, perplexed.

_He doesn't remember!_ The surprised thought hit Sirius and Remus at the same time.

"What day is today, Prongslet?"

"Um…" Harry's eyebrows knitted together in thought. "…My Birthday."

"Do you remember today at all?"

"…Kinda…" sighed Harry softly.

"Tell us about today, then."

"…Moony…woke me up and…I woke you up…we…went to Ron's house and…I opened all my presents! Now…I'm here," Harry stated, eyes squinted slightly as he tried to remember something he could not for some reason. Sirius gazed at Remus who seemed just as unnerved by this. Sirius looked back at Harry who was looking from his Godfather to Remus, expectantly, but they did not appear to know what to say.

"But I _am_ sore, and my head feels like it has a big owwie," Harry offered the two. Sirius looked saddened by this news.

_Of course he doesn't remember, you git! _he thought to himself._ He fell from Merlin knows how high, used advanced elemental magic that probably reeked havoc on his small body and fell unconscious, probably hitting his head on the ground! You're such an idiot! You should've gotten over your shock and caught him!_ Sirius mentally berated himself.

"I'm sowwy I can't wemember …Pwease don't be mad," Harry pleaded in a misinterpretation of his guardian's emotions.

"We're not mad!" Sirius and Remus replied in unison, causing Harry to look at them questioningly.

"I mean, we're not mad at _you_, Harry," Remus corrected. The raven-haired boy looked disbelieving.

"We'd never be mad at you for something you couldn't do, Prongslet," Sirius smiled reassuringly. "We'd be mad at ourselves for not being able to do something to help you." Harry sighed but nodded, regretting it almost instantly when his head pounded again with pain.

"Harry…do you remember the broom Padfoot gave you?" Remus inquired. Harry thought for a second before a smile spread across his lips.

"Yeah, I wanted to fly it."

"Well, you did, kiddo. And I…showed you how," Sirius elaborated reluctantly. Harry's eyes gleamed happily.

"You did?"

"Yes, and you were good at it. Great at it, even. But, something happened…and…you fell. We tried everything to save you, but…we couldn't. You used your power to land on the ground safe, though. Then you fainted, and we brought you here. You're alright now, but Moony and I felt like we were going to die throughout the whole thing."

Harry tried to grasp all of this information, but could not. He used his power to save himself from falling? He fainted? And why would Padfoot and Moony feel like they were going to die through it all?

"Why? Did you get hurt too?"

"No, cub, we didn't get hurt. We felt that way because…we were scared," Remus explained.

"Scared?"

"Scared…that we might never be able to see you again," Sirius continued with sad smile. Harry smiled back tiredly. He had been up for a while and his weakness was starting to weigh on him, even though he felt very happy at the moment. He always felt safe around Padfoot and Moony.

"I was scared too…" said Harry sleepily, relaxing into his pillow, a yawn escaping his lips. "In my dweam, I was scared I wouldn't see you anymore. _He_ said…I wouldn't see you anymore…" Harry's eyes closed tiredly.

"W-what? Who?" Sirius asked in an effort to keep Harry talking.

"Xantos…" Harry murmured before sleep claimed him. Remus and Sirius looked at each other at the same time.

"Xantos." Remus repeated thoughtfully before it dawned on him. "He must've been the Death Eater that attacked today. Of course! He'd have motive behind his orders…but why wouldn't Dumbledore tell us?"

"Xantos?" Sirius questioned, not understanding.

"Xantos, Sirius! From school, the one who transferred to Durmstrang, during Fourth Year," Remus tried, hoping Sirius's screws would start turning.

"Wait…you don't mean…_Prongs'_…?"

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**A/N: **Evil Cliffy! Why do I always do that? I hate it when authors do it to me! But here I am turning around and doing it to you? Why? Well…I don't really know, I just felt like it'd be a good idea…hehe. Though, I hear the knives sharpening… -Chuckles nervously-

Thanks for everything! Until next time!


	20. Xantos & Harry

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, know nothing, hear nothing. If I say I do they'll be on to me…

**Chapter Summary: **Sirius and Remus discuss their predicament, and naive young Harry has a conversation with a person he shouldn't be having one with...

**A/N: **Sorry for the longer wait with this chapter you guys. I had a week's vacation at Myrtle Beach and couldn't get it up in time. But here it is for those of you how want it! Enjoy!

–Grins-

Chapter 20: Xantos & Harry

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"His cousin, Padfoot. You remember. Who became a Death Eater shortly after James married Lily," Remus nodded; glad the screws in Sirius' head had started to turn.

"Xantos Potter! But we haven't seen …And he attacked _Harry_? Son of a _Bludger_! His own flesh and blood!" Sirius jumped to his feet, fuming, almost shouting in his anger.

"Sirius, you're going to wake him up!" Remus chastised, gaze flickering to their young charge whose eyes had shut tighter for a few seconds as though in pain before he looked relaxed again. Sirius studied his Godson's features and took a shaky breath.

_He doesn't deserve to have to go through this…his own family member… _Sirius thought to himself, the hatred toward Xantos still boiling as he sat down trying his best to stay calm and not burst from it. He found it mind boggling to try and understand how Remus could remain so calm and collected as he did, but, Sirius reasoned, Remus never was one to show when he was angry…often anyway. Minutes passed in silence between the two as they gazed at Harry's innocent and angelic-like face, allowing their minds to fully absorb the predicament they were now in. A horrid thought struck Sirius, who at some point during the silence had put his face in his hands, and his head shot up.

"He couldn't…I mean…no…he can't. …right?" Sirius muttered to himself.

"What are you talking about?"

"…Xantos has the ability to get custody of Harry," said Sirius, still not looking at Remus. Remus' eyes flashed with worry briefly before it was gone and he allowed himself to think logically.

"That can't …No, he's incapable of gaining custody of Harry," Remus stated knowingly, causing Sirius, whose mind had been lost in thoughts of losing Harry, to look at Remus questioningly.

"He's Harry's last blood relative on James' side; you don't think the Ministry would gladly concede to a request from him to have Harry?" Sirius asked incredulously. Remus shook his head 'no'.

"If Xantos could do that, he would have already done it. Instead he tried to get Harry by force which didn't go as he planned. The Ministry has no idea Xantos is a Death Eater; he disappeared from the face of the earth practically when you, me, James, Lily, and Dumbledore found out about him. If he went to the Ministry to request custody now, he would have to say where he has been and why no one has seen hide nor hair of him for years. Then even if he did come up with a plausible excuse and they tried to take Harry from us, we would reveal him as the bloody Death Eater he is and his plan would fall. Hence the reason for why he has not done it and will not do it. I highly doubt he'd be daft enough," Remus explained. Sirius let out the breath he had been unconsciously holding as he gave a sigh of relief.

"Besides," Remus continued. "James was no fool either and made sure to put in writing that he wanted_ you_ raising his son. Xantos would have to prove that you're the worst Godfather to walk the face of the earth to be able to get custody," Remus grinned. Sirius grinned back.

"Thanks, Moony. …I needed that."

A soft knock came at the door and Remus quickly got up and opened it to reveal Mrs. Weasley and her youngest son, Ron.

"Molly!" Remus greeted warmly. "Come in, come in. Thank you for coming," the Lupin smiled politely. Mrs. Weasley smiled back at him and entered, Ron at her heels. She gratefully took the chair Remus offered her as Ron went Harry's bedside.

"Molly," Sirius greeted with a nod.

"Sirius," Molly returned with a nod as well.

"Where's Arthur, Molly? And the other children?" Remus inquired curiously.

"Oh, Arthur thought it best to not bring all of them to the hospital. Fred and George would most likely start a racket and I'm sure Charlie or Bill would help. So Arthur said he would stay behind with them while I came to see how Harry was. And Ron here wouldn't let me leave unless I brought him with me," the red-haired woman explained, with a pointed look toward her son who grinned sheepishly.

"It's fine; it'll make Harry happy to see you," Sirius smiled at Ron whose face lit up at his words.

"How is he? Has he still not woken up?" Molly asked worriedly, looking at Harry's sleeping form.

"No, he was awake a while earlier. He's a little tired and such but he should be fine in a day or two," Sirius informed her. She smiled relieved at this.

"And this is because he used his…_Elemental_ power?" she inquired tentatively, curious as to why it would affect the boy in such a way. She had read a few books on Elemental wizards when she was at school but never had she read about one's power doing this to them.

"Using his power usually doesn't do this. He can use it freely. And much more freely when he's older. But, being his age, too much is a huge strain on his developing magic and what he did today was very advance. That's why the Ministry does not allow Magical children to have wands or begin to learn magic until they're eleven years old. And even then using too much magic could drain them of energy, which is also the reason they can't use magic outside school until their seventeen years old...magically mature," Remus explained.

"Yes, that's understandable," she nodded.

"Harry has a funny look on his face," Ron stated, his head tilted to the side. The three adults looked over at Harry who had a look of concentration on his face.

"Dreaming, most likely," Remus answered.

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_-Harry's Dream-_

_Harry sat on the ground in a clearing of a forest. The sun was high in the sky and warmed the young Potter's skin as he plucked flowers, a smile on his face. There was a soft and gentle breeze in the air that ruffled his hair while he hummed to himself and plucked flowers. He would give these to Moony and Padfoot whenever he went back to the house. They had given him so much, that 'thank you' was not enough in Harry's opinion. He wanted to give them something as well and he hoped that they would like the pretty flowers. A change in the wind caught Harry's attention and he abruptly stopped picking the flowers and looked up at the trees. A figure calmly walked out from behind them. Harry knew this person, he'd met him once before, although that meeting had not been the kindest, Harry recalled. And the young Potter had to wonder if this meeting would be the same. The man's golden-brown hair was tousled by the wind as he came up to a few feet away from Harry and sat down, as well, his hazel eyes falling on Harry easily._

_"Hey again, Harry," he greeted kindly. Harry looked at him then back at the flowers in his hand and did not answer the man. The hazel eyed wizard sighed tiredly._

_"You're upset with me, aren't you? About what I said earlier about not seeing Black and Lupin," the man stated knowingly. Again Harry did not reply._

Wonderful, _The man thought sarcastically,_ He's going to make me work to get his trust…

_"I can see there was a misunderstanding between us then. Did you think I meant_ never _see them again? Because I meant that you would hardly ever see them_ here._ They can't exactly come to this place," the man informed the small boy. Harry looked up at Xantos, again, trying to read any emotion he could get off him, but could read nothing...which struck Harry as odd. The emerald eyed child looked back at his flowers pensively trying to figure out whether or not Xantos was lying to him. A silence passed between them for a few minutes while Xantos looked around the clearing._

_"You know, James and I used to come here all the time when we wanted to talk," Xantos stated. This caused Harry to look up at him for the third time._

_"You knew my daddy?" the Potter heir asked, unable to control himself. Xantos grinned; at least he had gotten the boy to talk. That was a start._

_"_Knew _him? Kid, James and I were cousins. Real close too, we used to do everything together," Xantos told the boy who smiled slightly. Xantos was a Potter! But then a sad look crept on to Harry's face._

_"My cousin never liked me. We never did_ anything _together."_

_"Really? I can't see why he wouldn't like someone like you. Anyone would want someone like you to be friends with them," Xantos smiled._

_"Maybe…"_

_"I would. We're cousins too you know. Second cousins, really, but cousins none the less. We could be friends," said Xantos. Harry fell silent. Something felt funny to the young Potter about all of this. And he was not willing to agree to become Xantos' friend until he knew for certain that he could trust him. Padfoot had told him that there are many good wizards in the world, but that there are lots of bad ones too._

He's my daddy's cousin…so my feeling can't be from him… _Harry reasoned with himself, but still could not bring himself to say they could be friends for some reason. So instead he changed the subject._

_"Padfoot says_ he _was my daddy's bestest friend and that they did everything together," Harry stated looking down at his flowers again, missing the bitter coldness that flashed through Xantos' eyes._

_"Well…that's true, Harry. James and Black did become best friends. A good quarter of the way through our First Year at Hogwarts if I remember correctly. But after Fourth Year, I don't know, because I left Hogwarts..."_

_"Why?"_

_"Heh, you're more like your father than you know," Xantos smirked "He never knew how to _'not'_ ask why this and why that, either. Suffice it to say Black and I didn't get along that well and I hadn't wanted James to become friends with him."_

_"Oh…" said Harry, he felt compelled to ask why but did not think it would be a question Xantos would answer._

_"So, Harry, how's your life then? How goes it, buddy?"_

_Harry took a few seconds to answer with a short, "Good..."_

_"You just live with the two of them, then?"_

_Harry nodded._

_"Do you know Dumbledore?"_

_Harry nodded again, still not looking up as he continued to look at his flowers._

_"He comes to visit you often?"_

_"Sometimes…"_

_"Hmm…" Xantos looked thoughtful for a moment before he slowly stood._

_"You'we leaving?" Harry asked abruptly, looking up at him._

_"For now, yeah, I'll make sure to see you again, though," Xantos stated with a disarming smile. "Trust me." Harry smiled tentatively back. It had been somewhat fun talking to a cousin that was not like Dudley. Harry stood as well and handed the hazel eyed male the flowers he had picked._

_"Here. You can have them."_

_"Umm…well…thanks. But...er...I thought these were for your Padfoot and Moony."_

_Harry took a second to wonder how Xantos knew that he had wanted to give them to Padfoot and Moony, but quickly dismissed it._

_"I'll pick them more later," said Harry. Xantos nodded curtly, turned and left through the trees, disappearing out of sight. The Potter heir sighed pensively, looking after the dark golden-brown haired wizard._

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"…next weekend sounds fine! I'm sure Harry and Ronald will love it. Ronald's been asking me for _days_," Mrs. Weasley chuckled.

"It's a plan then," Remus smiled, and Sirius nodded his agreement.

"Harry!! You're awake!!" Ron squealed happily, as well as rather abruptly, from the bed causing everyone to look at the two friends with amused smiles.

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**A/N:** There you go! How'd you all like it? Hmm? I do hope it made up for that horrible cliffy I left in the last chapter. –Grins sheepishly.- You guys are going to have a lot of questions. That much I'm sure of, though, hehe. Anywho, at least now you know how Xantos knows James. One of the questions now it, "What is he planning?"

Thanks to all of you who stuck by me this far into the fic and will hopefully stay with me till the end of it! I dedicate this chapter to all of you faithful reviewers! If you would please do the same this time and review. If you all do, I might just post sooner than usual… -Grins-

Until next time…


	21. The Dark Forest

**Disclaimer: **How many times have we gone through this? I own nothing that you recognize, for Merlin's sake!

**Chapter Summary: **Harry and Ron visit Hogwarts while Sirius and Remus attend a newly reorganized Order of the Phoenix meeting...

**A/N: **Wow, it has been some time, hasn't it? Firstly, I must apologize for not updating sooner. You all have complete right to kill me where I sit. –Sighs- I have no truly good excuse, for I easily_ could_ have updated on the time that I should have, but I decided against it. "Why!" you ask? Well, HBP was coming out and I thought to myself, 'I should read it first before posting again because it will give me a lot of new information to work with'. And did it ever! I must say that I absolutely loved the book. –Grins- I loved the new characters, the story line, the plot, and the ending twist. But anyway, I really shouldn't be posting a review for the book here, should I? Haha. You all came to this page to read a fanfic not a review. My story from here on out will be taking HBP into account. So, the characters you met in Book 6 will also exist in my fic as well and the reason why Voldemort didn't die when he attacked Harry that fateful night will be the same in my fic as in HBP. Just thought I'd give you the heads up. So, now, without further ado...

Chapter 21: The Dark Forest

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"My patience is growing thin, Xantos, you have yet to come through for me," hissed the cold voice of the Dark Lord as he paced the dimly lit chamber in his current bodily possession of choice.

"My Lord, you know as well as I that trust in another is not built in a day," said Xantos respectfully from where he stood, having bowed when he had entered. An oddly amused smile came across the Dark Lord's face as he stopped his pacing and fixed his menacing gaze on Xantos.

"Yes, it would seem all _Potter's_ are the same...are they not?" Voldemort questioned, giving Xantos dangerously pointed look. Xantos looked taken aback slightly but nodded and looked down.

"So it would seem, My Lord," Xantos replied, hiding the reluctance in his tone. Voldemort's eyes narrowed on Xantos before giving a curt nod and resumed his pacing.

"You've had three weeks, have you made no progress?" Voldemort inquired threateningly. Xantos chose his words carefully.

"The boy is not quick to trust me, Master. No doubt his wariness of me is thanks to his underdeveloped senses. An Elemental's senses try to warn them of danger, but he does not know how to interpret it. Hence the reason for my acting now, it is only a matter of time before he falls," Xantos stated confidently. No other Death Eater had read or knew more about Elementals than Xantos, and he knew it.

"You better hope you are right, Xantos. You are dismissed."

Xantos bowed respectfully and exited the room, letting out a shaky sigh once he closed the huge sound proof doors.

"You don't look well," came the sly voice of Severus Snape catching Xantos off guard the moment he had turned around. "Problems?"

"None that you need to be made aware of, _Snape_," Xantos retorted, angry with himself.

"A bit touchy today, aren't we, _Potter_?" sneered Snape. Xantos glowered at Snape before passing him and proceeding down the dark corridor. The Potions Master watched him until his back disappeared into the darkness then turned back to the large doors. The doors opened of their own accord and gave him entrance to the chamber beyond.

"What news do you bring, Snape?" Voldemort drawled almost lazily after Snape had bowed before him. Snape opened his mouth to speak but Voldemort cut him off warningly.

"It better be news that will help me form a new plan to get my hands on Potter rather than this time consuming one I must currently have."

Snape was slightly unnerved by this pronouncement, but kept his composure and raised his Occlumency shields as Voldemort's ruby eyes narrowed dangerously. Snape had not been informed of the current steps his Master was taking to gain control over the Potter boy. Only the Dark Lord's right hand knew of it, and very few selected Death Eaters even knew _his_ name.

"I do believe the news I bring will be quite invaluable to you, My Lord," said Snape silkily.

"Do not overestimate your information, Snape," hissed Voldemort threateningly. It was occasions like these that the Death Eaters had to be re-taught their place, for some of them would tend to forget. Xantos was a prime example.

"...Forgive me."

Snape knew that another word from his mouth at this precise moment would earn him nothing but a 'Crucio', so he vouched for silence as the Dark Lord glared at him. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife but with a terse nod from Voldemort, Snape felt he could continue.

"I have recently been informed of the location of Potter, Black and Lupin's residence," Snape divulged. To his surprise however, though he did not show it, Voldemort's eyes flashed with anger.

"And _why_ have you not informed me of this earlier?"

"..I would have, My Lord, but the old fool Dumbledore gave me no time to do so," Snape corrected smoothly. Voldemort could trust few of his Death Eaters, only those that had proven themselves beyond comparison had been given the right of belonging to the Dark Lord's inner circle, and Snape was one of those few. Voldemort gave Snape a searching look but could detect no lie in his words.

"Then taking the boy should be an easy feat."

"If you can get around the main charm..." Snape replied. Voldemort did not like to be spoken to if he had not given the permission for it, but he let this one slide. If he Crucio'd Snape now, he would not get his answers as swiftly as he desired them.

"Charms can be undone."

"...Not this one."

"How so?"

"The boy cannot be taken away from his guardians unwillingly without everyone in the Order getting wind of it immediately."

"Dumbledore's handiwork," Voldemort snarled. "He _would_ be the one to make things difficult."

"But not impossible, My Lord."

"...Continue."

"He cannot be taken _unwillingly_, but can easily be taken the other way around. Once he has gone willingly, then it will matter not that he is unwilling when at the new destination for he has willingly gone in the first place. Quite the loophole..."

_Yes...quite. It seems that Xantos' plan will continue..._

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"Come on, Harry!" Ron pleaded with his friend, but was greeted with a firm shake of the head.

"Padfoot and Moony said to stay while they talked with Dumbles."

"Yeah, but they didn't hafta mean stay in here," Ron pouted looking around the classroom disdainfully.

The two boys were currently situated in an unused classroom at Hogwarts while Sirius and Remus attended a newly reorganized Order of the Phoenix meeting in Dumbledore's office thanks to the unnoticed comeback of Lord Voldemort into the wizarding world right under the Ministry's nose. Molly and Arthur Weasley were being initiated, as were a few other people, and Sirius and Remus were planning on hanging back when the meeting was over to ask their old Headmaster a few choice questions. They had planned on asking him sooner but Dumbledore had not had time these past few weeks, with school starting up again soon, to speak with them.

The three peaceful weeks that had passed since Harry's release from St. Mungo's had been anything but uneventful, however. Ron had spent the night at Harry's that weekend and Harry at Ron's the following. The two had quickly become inseparable and did everything together when together. They would talk about everything, especially when they were in bed but not tired. Ron would tell Harry more about Wizards and Harry would tell Ron about Muggles...good Muggles, anyway, never about his Aunt and Uncle even though Ron would talk about his. This weekend Ron was spending the night at Harry's again while his siblings stayed with an aunt of theirs.

"They _did_ mean stay in here. If not," said Harry, walking toward the door. He tried to open it but it wouldn't budge. "…they wouldn't have put a child-safe spell on the door. …They how much I wike to explore…" Ron groaned at this and threw himself down on a chair. Harry felt the sadness coming off Ron in waves and could not help but feel bad. After a few seconds of pensive silence Ron's head shot up and he looked at Harry.

"Can't_ you_ open it?" he inquired, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. Harry looked at Ron, stunned, before slowly shaking his head 'no'. Harry knew what Ron was talking about for he had told Ron more about himself and his powers than he had even told Padfoot and Moony. Making him promise not to tell anyone, first, of course…but Harry rarely put this power to use, hence his reason for not being as comfortable with it as he was with Fire.

"Pretty please, Harry, just this once?"

"But what about what Padf-?"

"They'll never know. We just gotta get back before they get done. Fred and George do it all the time," Ron coaxed, a mischievous smile spreading across his lips when he saw Harry's resolve weakening.

"But what if-?"

"Amber is here, right? You said you met Amber at Hogwarts, Harry. Let's go see her!" Ron interjected, grinning. Harry sighed in defeat; there was no disillusioning Ron once he got started, that much Harry knew.

Turning his back on his friend the Potter heir gazed at the door. He reluctantly concentrated on it until it began to rattle. His eyes widened slightly and he took a few steps back for good measure. He knew he was not putting enough effort into it. He looked back over at Ron who looked a little startled but nodded. Harry's eyes moved back to the rattling door, figuring if he was going to do it he might as well do it right and get it over with. A few more seconds and the door was banged from the other side as if hit hard by something and it immediately swung open and slammed against the opposing wall with a resounding boom. Harry and Ron were greeted with an unceasing gust so intense that Ron toppled off his chair and was pushed along with desks, chairs, stands, and an alarmed Harry back against the wall. No matter how hard the boys tried to move forward in any way shape or form the wind was too strong and it rang deafeningly in their ears. Throwing self-control to the winds, and thinking of nothing but how he disliked this power for his lack of control over it, Harry yelled,

"Stop, stop, STOP!"

And just like that the wind died and the room was quiet and unnervingly still. After a minute of taking deep breaths and gazing incredulously at the open doorway, Harry came to himself and looked down to his left were Ron should have been, only to find three chairs. Worry enveloping him, the young Potter quickly moved them out of the way to find the ginger haired boy crouched on the ground covering his head with his hands. Harry quickly got on his knees so he would be at his best friend's level. The ringing in Ron's ears dying, he looked up from his position, straight into Harry's worry filled emerald eyes and broke out into a grin, shocking his friend to no end.

"That...was..._WICKED_, Harry! You've _got_ to do it again!" Ron exclaimed gleefully as he shakily got to his feet, trying to maintain his balance which felt thrown off slightly. As Harry stood, he let out a breath he had not known he had been holding. He had almost been sure Ron would yell at him or be scared of him or act in someway totally different than the way he was currently acting.

It took Harry a few seconds to realize Ron was still talking for he had become lost in the happy thought that Ron was not upset with him in at all, even though he had been pushed off his chair.

"...oody brilliant and if Fred and George were here-"

"Ron, didn't you want to _leave_ this room?" Harry asked, a smirk playing at his lips. Ron's mouth snapped shut as he looked at Harry in surprised before smiling widely.

"Oh yeah! Come on, let's go," he said, remembering for the first time in minutes the reason he had wanted the door open in first place. The two exited the room and Harry tentatively closed the door behind them to make it look like they were still located inside.

"Amber's gotta be outside," Harry told Ron as they walked down the long corridor.

"You know howta get there?" Ron asked and Harry nodded.

"Race you there." And with that, Harry darted down the corridor. Ron had not been expecting that, but took off right after him anyway. Ron was a pretty fast runner himself, if not, how could he get away from his brother's evil pranks? Harry rounder the corner, Ron close behind, but hit something solid, lost his balance and fell hard to the ground on his behind. "Oww..." he groaned just as Ron came around the corner and stopped at the site of the accident. Harry was on the ground with a tall man with greasy black hair that curtained his face towering over him.

"Watch where you're going!" the man snarled viciously. "I'm late enough as it is." Harry practically jumped to his feet at the tone of voice used and the hatred it held, and backed away a few steps, fear in his eyes.

"I-I-I d-didn't..." Harry stammered.

"Silence, I _never_ said you could speak," the man snapped angrily. "I don't have time to listen to your bumbling apologies. If I catch you running through these halls again your going wish you had never met me." The man stalked off furiously in the direction he had been going and Ron had the feeling that the man had already been annoyed by something and that all he had needed was one more push to go ever the edge and explode like he just had.

_Or maybe he just wanted to yell...either way...he probably didn't even know who he was talking to..._ Ron thought to himself before rushing to Harry's side. The messy raven haired boy was trembling slightly and stiffened when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you...okay, Harry?" Ron inquired concernedly. Harry's eyes were glazed over and had a far-away look in them as though remembering something he did not want to. Gaining no response from his best friend Ron got in front of him, put his other hand on Harry's other shoulder and shook him gently.

"Harry, it's me Ron, stop looking like that, you're scaring me."

At Ron's words Harry seemed to come to himself. He took a shuddering breath then focus his gaze on his friend.

"I'm sorry…" Harry rasped.

"Naw, it's okay, you just scared me that's all. You weren't talking," Ron explained. Harry nodded dejectedly.

"...You alright?"

"I-I'm fine."

"Don't lie..."

"...Ron."

"Uh-Huh?"

"...I...don't wanna talk, let's just...go outside…" Harry did not wait for a response, knowing Ron well enough to know that he would not let the subject drop if he did, before brushing past him and continuing down the corridor. The only thing Harry had never talked about…_with anyone_ other than his Guardians, he thought suddenly…was how he had been treated at the Dursley's. He preferred, personally, not to talk about it. It hurt to remember, too much so, for it felt like yesterday to him. That man Harry had bumped into had brought back horrid memories to the boy. After a few minutes of walking in silence and going down a flight of stairs Harry reached the open oak front doors, Ron a few paces behind him. Stepping into the bright sun Harry shivered involuntarily and wrapped his cloak tighter around himself even though it was warm. He could almost sense Ron's eyes burning into the back of his head.

_I'm sorry, Ron…I just…I just…can't…_

Ron gave a sigh; he did not want to be annoyed with Harry for not telling him. It would not be a fun day if he was.

_If Harry doesn't wanna talk about it…well, then he doesn't wanna talk about it,_ Ron told himself. He was saddened by the fact Harry would not trust him enough to talk about what ever he was feeling, but he would not push it…for now, anyway. That's not what friends did. So, working up his Gryffindor courage, Ron ran past Harry, down the front steps that led into Hogwarts. Stopping at the foot of them he turned around and looked up at his friend.

"You coming, or am I supposed to recognize Amber by myself?" he asked good-naturedly with a grin on his face. Harry sighed mentally with relief before grinning back; they were going to forget the earlier incident like it had never happened. It was times like these that Harry really appreciated Ron as a friend. They really understood each other a great deal. The two crossed the grounds heading toward the lake where Harry had sat with Amber months ago.

"That castle was _really_ big," Ron stated seriously, throwing himself onto the ground once they reached their destination and looking up at the sky.

"You have _no_ idea," Harry responded as he too threw himself to the ground.

"It's bigger than I saw?"

"A lot bigger."

"Hmm…"

"It's fun to be here again."

"Told you it'd be better than staying in that stuffy room."

The two grew quiet as they watched the clouds, but were brought back to their senses by a loud bark. Sitting up quickly both saw the miniature white tiger, white wolf with shimmering snow white fur and amber eyes bounding toward them.

"Amber!" Harry squealed, delighted. The creature jumped at Harry and toppled him to the ground licking his face. Harry could not stop giggling.

"She likes you, that's for sure," Ron chuckled, but before the red-head knew it, he had been tackled too for the creature's same purpose. The two boys laughed and played with the female creature. Ron found a stick and it turned out that Amber was great at fetch and loved to chase the piece of wood.

A half hour later found Harry and Ron gasping for breath having just chased Amber around the lake twice because she had refused to return the stick.

"You…think…she's gonna…give it back?" Ron panted. Harry smiled slightly and shook his head 'no'.

"Nope…I think…she wants…to keep it," Harry panted back holding a painful stitch in his side.

"W-Where…is she going?" Ron asked curiously, for Amber had just dropped her stick, sniffed the ground, then darted for the forest past the hut Harry knew to be Hagrid's.

"Dunno…" Harry replied sadly, he had wanted to play with her more.

"Let's follow her!" Ron voiced, having finally caught his breath, before scurrying after Amber.

"But…!" Harry tried but knew it was useless. Against his better judgment Harry dashed after Ron, his mind practically screaming 'bad idea, bad idea'. Harry had never gone into that forest before but it had a feeling of forebodingness about it and Harry could tell it was not a place to play around.

_But if Ron is going…_ Harry reasoned. Ron had gotten a good head start on Harry and entered the forest ten seconds before him. The amazing daylight began to dim the deeper Harry went until it disappeared completely leaving him in utter darkness. A trickle of fear gripped the Potter heir's insides as he ran; he could no longer see the youngest Weasley male ahead of him.

"Ron?"

No answer.

"Ron?" Harry called out.

Nothing.

Harry suddenly stopped running, he had heard something…or had he sensed it? He did not really know anymore with this darkness pressing him in on all sides.

_I should've stopped him from coming in here…_ Harry thought to himself.

"Ron!" he yelled hoping beyond hope that his friend would answer him. Fed up with the darkness and wondering why he had not done it sooner, Harry created a ball of fire in his hand that lit up his surrounding area. He could see nothing but trees in the distance.

"Harry!!" came Ron's strangled scream from far off. Harry would have been happy to hear his friend's voice again, if it were not for the amount of fear behind it. Dread filling him, Harry took off in the direction he had heard Ron's cry.

"N-No…no…" Ron pleaded.

"What's wrong boy, scared?" came a new voice to Harry's ears, it was harsh and rasping. The moment Harry's small amount of light made out the cloaked figure holding Ron and the red-head himself, the person whipped around, dropping Ron to the ground. Harry could no longer move, he felt rooted to the spot with the fear that enveloped him. The person looked like a man but his eyes were golden, like that of an animal, hidden beneath his hood, and he had long yellowish nails. He was tall and lean with a strong build. He had the look of someone who did this often. He smirked evilly at Harry, his eyes coming alive with a hungry, almost ravenous, look in them.

_Run_ half of Harry's mind told him. _But what about Ron?_ the other half demanded. _Leave him!_ the first half yelled. _But he's my friend! _the other half countered.

Resigned to the worst Harry fought his fear and threw the small fire he had made at the monster. The light went out on contact, pitching Harry and Ron into darkness again, and the monster did nothing but laugh a laugh that sent a tremor of fear down the Potter's spine. Harry heard the thing begin slowly toward him and heard a sob come from Ron. Harry wanted to yell, scream, make _some _sort of noise that would help them be found but he found his mouth dry and his throat tight. He wished over and over again in his head that he had not opened that classroom door with his power as he heard the footsteps drawing nearer. And then an idea hit him. His power. Snapping his eyes shut Harry concentrated solely on the monster of a human in front of him. He felt the wind pick up around him gaining strength as it blew; messing up even more, if that were possible, Harry's raven black hair.

"What are you doing?" the man demanded abruptly, almost uneasily. Harry said nothing, concentrating harder. The young Potter raised his hand and waved it backhand in the man's general direction. As though hit by an unknown force the monster man was thrown fifteen feet and was slammed hard into a tree. Harry let his concentration falter when he heard the man groan and surprisingly the wind stopped. Harry had been able to control it enough to make it stop; it had never been that easy before! Harry took a step toward Ron, but felt suddenly dizzy.

_No!_ Harry told himself sternly. _I need to get Ron out of here._

Harry did not know how he managed it but he got to Ron and hurriedly helped him up.

"Are you alright?"

"H-Harry! H-he…he…"

"Let's go," Harry interrupted firmly. Ron nodded vigorously, wiping his eyes of stray tears. Both boys made a run for the direction in which they had entered the forest.

"Did you kill him?" Ron asked worriedly as they ran.

"N-no, at least…I don't think I did," Harry answered, dizziness threatening him again, but it was not as bad this time and he fought it off. "What happened?"

"I-I ran to find Amber, and after a bit I saw that you weren't with me anymore. I was scared so I stopped and called you but you didn't answer me. Then I felt something and bent down, it was Amber cuz I felt her soft fur and she had a new stick in her mouth. I guess she wanted to play again. Then she ran back towards where you were."

"I _thought_ I had heard something," Harry stated pensively. "But, then what happened?"

"That…m-monster man. He came outta no where, Harry. He said he was…" Ron shuddered as he ran. "_Hungry_...that it had been a while. I yelled for you." Harry nodded, remembering this.

After a few seconds Harry stopped without warning, and Ron continued, not having noticed.

_What's this feeling?_ Harry asked himself not realizing, himself, that he had stopped running alongside Ron. _I had it earlier…why do I have it again? …What does it mean?_

Harry was harshly brought back to reality when he was rammed into the ground, a body landing on his, very nearly knocking the air out of him.

"You…_radiate_ with it…" rasped the same harsh voice, golden eyes gleaming as he sniffed Harry. The young Potter instantly felt petrified, he could not move at all. Not because he did not want to, but because of the weight, and his wrists were being held forcefully down by the man's strong hands. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks.

_I'm so dumb! The feeling was telling me I was in twouble!_ Harry thought furiously at himself. He tried desperately to wiggle his hands free but the man only chuckled darkly.

"Ah, ah, ah, we wouldn't want you to use those things again," the monster jeered. Harry's concentration was shot, and he doubted whether he would have been able to do magic again even if he had control of his hands. He had used a lot earlier and he knew it.

"Yes…yes, it _emanates _from you," he murmured to himself as he sniffed the boy.

"W-What d-does?" Harry asked, thinking,_ 'if he's talking, he's not killing me...or eating me'._

"…Energy, power, it comes off you in _waves_…" he whispered near the Potter's ear, a low growl at the back of his throat. "I don't think I have _ever_ had one quite like you… Too bad it's not a full moon; you would've made quite the werewolf… Pity."

"Y-You're…Y-You're a _werewolf_?" Harry breathed, a shiver coursing through his small body, biting his lower lip, more than a little shocked.

_Is this how werewolves 'act'? Moony never…Moony would never…would he?_

"Why, yes. You can call me Fenrir…heh, not that you'll be calling anyone _anything_ here in a second," the werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, rasped amusedly. "That was _some_ attack you pulled earlier…" The monster's voice felt closer than before, Harry suddenly realized with a sinking icy feeling in his stomach. "I don't take lightly to pain and I must say that that tree was no soft landing, _Potter_," he growled dangerously.

The Potter heir had no idea how the werewolf knew who he was; Harry had never seen him before. And the fire that had lit up the area when Fenrir was going to eat Ron had only lasted for a brief moment; the werewolf could not have gotten a good look at him.

The young Potter vainly struggled to free himself again, but froze once he felt hot, greedy - _hungry_ - breath at his throat, a whimper escaping his lips. He wanted Padfoot…he wanted Moony…he wanted them both more than ever, but he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he would never see their smiling faces ever again…

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**A/N: **-Evil laughter- Wonderfully long chapter, just what you had wanted from me, but a horrid, _horrid_ cliffhanger to go along with it! –Grins- What's that one saying? "Be careful what you wish for"? Well, yeah, that.

-Sighs- Anyway, now that I got that out of my system, how'd you guys like this chapter? Too long? Not long enough? Bad? Good? Hope so, I sat down for forever to get it done. Hehe. I really wanted to make it up to all of you since I hadn't posted in almost three weeks. I felt really bad, especially since you all give me those wondrous reviews that make me smile so often! Don't expect gifts like this _all _the time, kk? Occasionally, though. Anywho, here it is for you all. See how nice I am? But then…well, there is that cliffhanger ordeal, but I do believe you'll find it somewhere in your hearts to forgive me for that…as well as my initial delay in typing this up. –Smiles hopefully-

Sooo, -chuckles nervously wondering if her readers are planning on her assassination at this very moment and decides to change the subject- how'd you all like reading HBP? Hope it was as fun and idea giving to you as it was for me. Next chapter soon, faster than this time around anyway. I'm back on the normal schedule with my updating, no worries. I'm hoping for lots and lots of reviews for this chapter, it has _a lot_ of information, if you know how to look for it, and it's one of my favorites so far. –Grins-

Until next time…


	22. The Difference in Werewolves

**Disclaimer:** How many times have we gone through this? I own nothing that you recognize, for Merlin's sake!

**Chapter Summary: **Harry realizes the difference between other werewolves and Moony.

**A/N: **Hiya guys! 53 reviews for the last chapter! Wow! -Grins-

Here is your awaited chapter 22. I've been real busy lately with school starting on Monday. –Sighs- But I made sure to get this out before then, cuz after Monday my posts won't be once a week, mostly likely once every two. I know, I know you all don't want to hear that, but I thought I'd be up front with you from the start. –Smiles Slightly- Anywho, you all didn't come here to read this sooo...

Chapter 22: The Difference in Werewolves

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_-During the time Harry and Ron were playing with Amber-_

"Sir, why didn't you tell us that it had been Xantos who had attacked Harry?" Remus voiced, asking the question that had been eating away at him and Sirius for a while now.

The Order meeting had ended a few minutes ago and all the members had already floo'd home. The only remaining people in Dumbledore's office were Sirius, who was standing by a chair next to Remus', Remus, who was sitting across from Dumbledore, Snape, who stood indifferently at the back of the office in the shadows staring listlessly out of the window, and Dumbledore himself who sat comfortably behind his desk.

The ageing Headmaster sighed and closed his eyes, resting his chin on his steepled fingers. He knew this question had only had a matter of time to come across, and he was hoping to teach his old students something by answering it.

"Mr. Black," addressed Dumbledore, catching the man by surprise even though he had been adamantly awaiting Dumbledore's response to the question. "If I were to tell you that I knew the exact location of Peter Pettigrew, which sadly I do not, what would you do with that information?"

Answering a question with a question was something Dumbledore took to doing often, Sirius and Remus knew all to well, but this one threw them off. What _would_ they do? Remus fell into contemplative silence, but Sirius answered without hesitation, on impulse, and needless to say, without much thought to the matter.

"I would go hunt him down, and, in kinder words than I'd personally like to put it, utterly kill the bloody traitor."

"And leave Harry behind while doing so," Dumbledore stated sadly, looking as though he had expected such an answer, as he opened his eyes to look directly into Sirius'.

The Black's mouth fell open and looked, as well as felt, as though Dumbledore had just slapped him. He had not thought about what he would do with Harry if he went out to take revenge on that _Rat_, but he certainly had not planned on just leaving his Godson behind! Sirius opened and closed his mouth as though wanting to respond to Dumbledore's statement, but seemed to have lost his ability to speak. Snape, who still remained unnoticed to all but Dumbledore at the back of the office, curled his thin lips into a sneer, at Sirius' reaction to Dumbledore's words or at what he saw through the window, none would know. Remus remained quiet through his former Headmaster's and his best friend's exchange and decided not to speak just yet, having realized where Dumbledore was going with this, and knew that it was something the older wizard wanted the two of them to take to heart.

"N-No, of course I wouldn't leave him!" said Sirius, thunderstruck, finally regaining himself as well as his voice.

"You certainly wouldn't be thinking of _taking_ the young child on such an escapade." Dumbledore smiled his overly annoying smile, and Sirius all too suddenly felt a surge of guilt in his gut. Guilt for being selfish, for having a brief moment where he had not cared about anyone or anything other than himself no matter the consequences.

He slowly lowered himself in the chair he had been standing next to, not trusting himself to speak another word. He felt as though he had betrayed his Godson's trust in him, even _if _Harry was not there to be the wiser of it, and even though it was exclusively with his thoughts. _That_, in and of itself, made Sirius feel all the worse. He would never, _ever_, think solely of himself again. He would not, _could not_, do that to Harry, to Prongslet, or even to Remus, he vowed to himself.

"That…would be why, then, Sir?" Remus inquired, taking a fleeting glance at Sirius before returning his gaze to the Headmaster.

"…Yes, Mr. Lupin, I did not tell you that day that it was Xantos because both of you would have dedicated your time and efforts into hunting him down the minute I had said so, until you caught him. It was for Harry's benefit at the time that I said nothing; he needed you, and still does," Dumbledore explained solemnly.

"That, Headmaster, is not far from the truth," stated Snape lazily, speaking for the first time since the end of the Order meeting, making his presence known to Sirius and Remus, who both whipped around almost instantly at hearing his drawling voice. Sirius felt bursting to say 'What's that supposed to mean, _Snape_?', but Remus beat him to the punch.

"And what, Severus, would that be meant to suggest?" he asked, dispassionate, but Sirius did not miss the cold undertone in his voice that could easily be missed if you did not know Remus as well as Sirius did. Snape sneered maliciously at the werewolf.

"Just as it sounded, Lupin, or does it not matter a lick to you and Black that your precious _Potter _just entered the Dark Forest?"

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Harry's eyes snapped shut, expecting the worst. A few seconds passed in the darkness where the only thing Harry could hear was the hungry breath on his neck, but something happened that confused Harry to no end. The hot breath that had been on his neck, left, and the new momentary eerie silence was replaced with the sound of sniffing, causing Harry to hazard opening his eyes.

_Why's he sniffing the air?_ Harry thought to himself baffled by this odd behavior, but glad the werewolf's attention had been sidetracked. Then Harry heard it, two noises that completely broke the still silence and gave him back his lost hope, the sound of voices desperately calling his name, the sounds of twigs consecutively snapping, and leaves crunching beneath feet. But his momentary hope was short-lived when he felt the anger stemming off from Fenrir in waves, and could not stop fear from spreading through him once more.

_Padfoot…Moony…_ Harry thought, trying to keep a hold on the hope that he would be rescued, but it was slipping from his grasp faster than he was able to maintain his hold on it. Fenrir's grip on Harry's wrists tightened painfully, and Harry bit his bottom lip to stop any noise from escaping him, he knew it would only bring the werewolf's attention back to him faster than would be preferable. A twig snapped loudly to Harry's left, and both the heads of Harry and Fenrir whipped to look in the direction, but it being pitch black in the forest Harry could not see if something was there or not, though he had a fleeting feeling that Fenrir could. Those golden eyes had been so animalistic. However he _was _able to sense another emotion coming from that area, though he could not decipher it.

Harry doubted he would get out of this situation alive, but if he_ was_ going to be killed, he was not going to make it easy. Especially now that he knew he would be found eventually, alive or dead, as it were. Not caring about the consequences any longer, and not caring that he had been feeling lightheaded ever since having slammed Fenrir into a tree with his powers, Harry took a deep breath - as deep as one could with a werewolf atop them - , and yelled the first name that came to mind.

"Padfo-" His own gasp of pain cut him off mid-word, for Fenrir had just dug his atrociously long yellow nails into Harry's delicate wrists, dangerously close to drawing blood. A sob escaped Harry's lips; he could not control it any longer. He was terrified, his wrists throbbed painfully from the pressure, and he just did not know what to do anymore. He felt helpless as his held back tears finally found their way slowly onto his soft cheeks. Fenrir chuckled amusedly as Harry's sobs threatened to rack his tiny form, and an emotion of utmost fury, from Harry's immediate left, burst into life. It almost made Harry want to shrink away from it, but for some reason he did not...he was not scared of it. It oddly gave him a sense of safety, though he could not tell why. A menacing growl came from the direction the emotion was coming from.

"Black…" Fenrir snarled, as though having just realized something. Harry's eyes snapped shut again the instant he felt sharp piercing teeth at his throat; this was it, he knew it. But before Harry could register in his mind exactly what was going on around him, a powerful force tackled Fenrir roughly off him to the ground with a loud thud. Harry could not see but he could hear the rolling, growling, punching, biting, cursing, yelping. Shocked by what happened, Harry quickly scrambled to his feet gasping for the extra breath that had been denied him when the werewolf had been on top of him, but regretted getting up almost instantly because he was attacked with another fierce bout of dizziness that almost threw him back to the ground. Harry did his best to maintain his balance, which paid off once the dizziness died down, but never leaving completely. A crash was heard then a sound Harry did not recognize before two voices shouted,

"Lumos!" Two wand tips ignited the area they and Harry were currently in.

To say Harry was stunned to see Fenrir and Sirius facing each other, wands outstretched, panting, glaring daggers at each other, was an understatement. He felt joy rise in him at the site of his Guardian, but dread equally rose with it as he thought about Padfoot's well-being.

"Big mistake, Black, you'd have had much more chance of survival if you had stayed as a dog," Fenrir jeered.

"And you'd have had a greater chance at seeing tomorrow, Greyback, if you hadn't picked _my _Godson as your next meal ticket," Sirius growled, a look in his eyes that Harry had never seen before in anyone's. Fenrir took a brief glance at Harry, a smirk playing at his lips, which sent a shiver down the boy's spine. Fenrir made a slashing movement in the air with his wand in hand that made the hairs at the back of Harry's neck stand up, but Sirius was quick to counter it with own of his own that immediately initiated a seemingly endless round of spells that both men shouted at each other. From Crucio and Stupefy to Protego and Reducto.

It was when a spell had been directed at Harry, and Sirius had barely been able to deflect it in time that the 24-year-old anxiously shouted for the young boy to run.

"B-But what about-!"

"Please, Prongslet!" Sirius insisted desperately as he deflected another hex and sent one in turn. Harry did not want to leave Padfoot but he did not want to disobey him either, so, with new tears welling up in his eyes, Harry turned and ran as hard as he could. The light that was the wand tips disappeared as he left and he was reunited unwillingly with the darkness. The only sound Harry could hear now was the sound of his own feet every time he brought one down, one after the other as he ran. Harry had felt like he had been running for forever when a new light burst into his vision again, nearly blinding him and reawakening his dormant dizziness as he came to an abrupt stop because of it.

The light dimmed slightly, and the Potter heir vaguely registered Dumbles lowering his wand, as his head spun and he struggled in vain to keep upright. His knees buckled beneath him, the fatigue the day's events would cause anyone had finally reached peaking point in little Harry, but he did not hit the ground. A pair of arms instinctively wrapped themselves around him protectively, and Harry involuntarily tensed at the action.

"Harry!" exclaimed a familiar voice worriedly, the person on their knees, their arms wrapped around the small boy. "Harry, are you alright?"

The young Potter tried to register what was going on, he felt like if his head spun any more he was not going to be able to stay awake, but he did register one thing...that voice was Moony's.

_Moony…_ Harry thought hazily to himself as he attempted to relax his body - he was safe, he realized, before another thought planted itself stealthily in his mind.

_Werewolves. Werewolves…Moony._

And with that thought, Harry struggled as hard as he physically could to free himself from Remus' protective embrace. He pushed and he squirmed, which was about all he _could_ do with his current amount of strength, but it got him nowhere. Remus would not release him.

"Harry, talk to me! What's wrong?" Remus whispered calmingly, rubbing soothing circles into Harry's back with one hand and holding him in place with the other.

"…Let me go…" pleaded Harry softly, whose voice sounded cracked.

"No, not until you let me help you," Remus stated firmly, yet gently at the same time. He got no reply.

As Harry's dizziness ebbed away, he could not help but want to let Moony help him, to hold him, to comfort him, to tell him everything was going to be okay. Moony was a _werewolf_, though; Harry's mind seemed to scream it. But the Potter's heart told him a different story, one that reminded him of the Moony he _knew_, of the Moony who had cried at his bedside in the hospital, the Moony who had said he loved him and wanted no harm to befall him, the Moony who had actually _turned_ into a werewolf and had not hurt Harry in the slightest. The Moony whose emotions now carried no ill-will toward him, an ill-will that had never and would never be there, just…unconditional warmth, affection, caring, Harry slowly came to recognize.

This was Moony, not Fenrir, _this_ was _Moony_.

Remus could not help but feel confused by the way the young child was acting, not to mention slightly hurt that Harry did not want his help. He had been sure Sirius and he had formed a bond of trust with Harry, but now it seemed it had somehow broken.

"Harry…" Remus murmured softly…sadly, running a hand through the boy's silk-like black hair. And surprisingly, the boy's small form relaxed into Remus' embrace and tentatively, as though worried Remus would mind it, wrapped his small arms around the Lupin. Harry's body was trembling something terrible. Remus was quick to realize the boy was crying, and swiftly held the Potter a little tighter, while he continued rubbing soothing circles onto the boy's back.

"Will you talk to me now?" Remus inquired gently. Harry nodded weakly into Remus' robes, which were now getting wet with the tears he had finally let flow.

"Padfoot's…fighting alone…with Fenrir…" Harry hiccupped. Remus' eyes flashed with worry. Ron had told them he and Harry had come face to face with a monster, but it being Fenrir Greyback had been the last thing Remus would have thought of. He looked up at Dumbledore, who had remained silent as he watched Remus together with Harry. The Hogwart's Headmaster nodded knowingly before proceeding in the direction Sirius, in his Animagus form, had gone. Remus meanwhile, checked and double-checked his charge for bite marks. There were none, thank _Merlin_.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"Poppy, I am _fine_," Sirius insisted, trying to get up for the umpteenth. "They're just scratches, I swear!"

"Codswallop, Mr. Black, now sit still," Madam Pomfrey replied sternly as she pushed Sirius back onto the bed. Remus stifled a laugh and Sirius shot him a dark look. If anyone hated trips to the hospital wing, it was Sirius. He hated being bed ridden and treated like he was going to break if anyone came to visit him. He remembered all too well his many undesired visits when he was in school. He had thought he had been _rid_ of this overbearing witch when he had graduated, but here he was yet again. The world was cruel, and fate was laughing at him.

"Come on Padfoot, it's just a potion and some healing spells," Remus chuckled.

"_You_ drink it and see how you like it!" Sirius retorted, irritated. Remus shook his head, smiling.

Sirius' appearance was not the prettiest sight at the moment. To say the least, he looked like he had been hit by a train. That was nothing to say for the werewolf responsible. ...The werewolf in question _had_ managed to get away in the end, but not without receiving the worse end of Sirius' wand.

Ron sat tiredly on a hospital wing bed opposite Sirius' watching the adult man's refusal of healing with amusement in his young blue eyes.

Ron had run into Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, and Snape as he made his escape from the forest. It was only then that he realized Harry was not with him anymore. Sirius and Remus had looked worse than worried at the sight of him alone. He had given them a rushed explanation of what had happened to him and Harry, leaving out the blasting the classroom door open part. Dumbledore had had Snape bring Ron back to the castle while they continued their search for Harry.

Harry currently lay asleep in a bed next to Ron's. Madam Pomfrey preformed a few basic healing spells, on his minor cuts from running through the forest and bruises from being manhandled by Fenrir Greyback, after she had checked him over. She could also easily tell he was not only exhausted physically, but magically as well, which she said she could clear up with a potion once he awoke from his slumber.

The Potter had fallen victim to fatigue in Remus' arms on the way back to Hogwarts, before Sirius and Dumbledore had caught up with them. Sirius had wanted to hold Harry in his arms, but Dumbledore had told him he was in no condition to be holding a child. He had said Sirius _was not_, despite Sirius' belief, indestructible and had been hit with a hex that had broken a few of his ribs, and that he needed medical attention immediately, as did Harry. Sirius had not been to keen on going to see Pomfrey for _his_ medical needs, but here he was, _forced_, as he would say.

"Poppy, please!" Sirius begged again, earning him nothing but a whack on the head from her. "Ow!"

"Be quiet, Mr. Black, and let me do my work," she ordered exasperatedly. Ron giggled and Remus had to look the other way to hid his grin. Sirius glowered from one to the other as Madam Pomfrey waved her wand, saying a few choice words that easily closed up many cuts on his arms, and face, and a slash across his chest, as well as cleared up the blood that had been on him. His bruises would, of course, have to be dealt with salve, which he _insisted_ he could do on his own, _without_ Pomfrey's help, thankyouverymuch.

"_Fine_! Are you at least willing to take your potion? Your ribs won't possibly heal fast enough if you don't."

"Okay…_okay_," Sirius sighed begrudgingly before taking the offending vial and downing it in one gulp, making a face that earned another giggle from Ron.

"Will you stop laughing at my misfortune?" Sirius asked him with a mock glare. Ron giggled more and shook his head 'no'.

"Now, now, it's getting late. No more talking, my patients need rest," Madam Pomfrey demanded, pointing at all of them in turn.

"But I wanna-!" Sirius protested.

"What you _want_ is of no concern to me, Mr. Black. You are to stay in that bed until I give you the permission to get up," Madam Pomfrey told him firmly, though she had a small smile playing at her lips. Sirius leaned back into his pillows, groaning at this pronouncement.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Xantos sat in the Dark Lord's study, idly flipping through a book he had pulled out from one of the shelves. A loud 'pop' in front of him was the only reason he had to lazily lift his head to see who it was, as only Death Eaters could apparate in and out of this place. He was greeted with a sight that could only make him smirk. It was not everyday you saw Fenrir Greyback at his worst.

"Do _not_ say you warned me, Potter, because I'll…" Greyback growled but was cut off.

"You'll _what_, exactly?" Xantos inquired with mild curiosity as he set the book aside, and stood up to his full height. Greyback looked like he wanted to answer that, but decided against it.

"Forget it, I…need you help," Greyback rasped reluctantly.

"Obviously, or you wouldn't be here," Xantos sneered. Greyback glared at him.

"You're the only one who knows advanced healing arts," the wounded werewolf admitted reluctantly. Xantos rolled his eyes and motioned for Fenrir to sit, as he whipped out his wand.

"This wouldn't have happened had you listened to me," Xantos grinned derisively as he waved his wand over Fenrir.

"Things would've gone much better had I not run into your _cousin_," Greyback snarled.

"Don't tell me _he_ put you in this condition," Xantos chuckled, waving his wand again and saying a few words in Latin. "He's not old enough to be doing serious damage."

"Well he's old enough for_ something_. Anyway, no, this was Black's doing. Not that I left him for the better, either."

"Ahh, well, in that case, consider yourself lucky," Xantos stated waving his wand a final time, closing all Fenrir's wounds and healing the fractured bones.

"Heh, and why would I consider myself lucky? I didn't get to have _any_ of Potter."

"Because the Dark Lord would put you through much more for doing anything to the Potter boy, at the moment anyway, than Black could ever make you go through," said Xantos indifferently, stowing his wand back into the pocket of his robes.

"Your concern touches me," replied Greyback sardonically.

"I would hope so," Xantos smirked, seating himself across from the werewolf.

"...You know, when you told me that boy could use fire, I was sure that was _all_ he could do."

"That was stupid on _your_ part then," Xantos sighed, malice shinning in his hazel eyes.

"How was I supposed to know the boy could control the blasted _wind_?"

"Wind, eh? Now _that's_ something. See? Your little trip wasn't in vain after all. Hehe..."

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Harry groaned as he blearily opened his eyes, but could see hardly anything. Not for the lack of light, for there was plenty, but for his lack of glasses. He reached over to the nightstand and easily grabbed them, putting them into place. He took in his surroundings and sighed.

_The hospital…again_, he thought to himself. Moony sat asleep in the chair next to Harry's bed and Harry could not help but smile softly. Moony might be a werewolf, but he was different, Harry knew it. He looked to his other side, expecting to see Padfoot, but saw no one. Padfoot was not there. The first thought to enter Harry's head was, of course, the worst. Padfoot must have lost to Fenrir! Tears stung Harry's eyes at the thought as he looked desperately around, but only saw Ron in the bed next to him, fast asleep. It was then that he noticed the furry black something lying at the foot of his bed. Curiosity getting the better of him, as it always tended to do, Harry pulled his covers off and crawled to the end of his bed and touched the thing. It was soft! And…it was breathing?

_Ohh, it's a doggy!_ Harry noticed, finally seeing the snout and ears. _It's pretty!_ Harry thought to himself as he stroked the dog's fur a second time, which caused its ears to twitch. The shaggy black dog opened its mouth and yawned wide as it opened its eyes and looked around tiredly before resting its blueish-grey gaze on the Potter, who gasped in surprise.

"You have Padfoot's_ eyes_!"

The dog seemed to look at Harry incredulously before realization passed over him. He had never shown Harry his dog form before! With a soft pop, the dog transformed back into the Padfoot Harry knew, sitting cross-legged in the same spot, grinning goofily. The Potter heir's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates at the sight before him, and he did not even realize that his mouth had fallen open.

"Surprised, kiddo?"

Harry seemed to have lost his voice. He wanted to exclaim about how wicked it was that Padfoot was a dog, but the happiness that Padfoot was just _alive_ did not let him go off on it.

"Aww, come here, I'm sorry. Did I scare you?" Sirius inquired affectionately as he scooped his shocked Godson up and into his arms and placed him on his lap.

"You're...you're alive!" Harry squealed happily wrapping his arms around his Godfather's neck and holding on like his very life depended on it. Sirius laughed good-naturedly as he ruffled Harry's hair.

"Of course I'm alive, kiddo! You think I'd ever leave _you_?" Sirius grinned. Harry smiled widely and hugged Sirius again before finally releasing him and allowing himself to be brought back down to his Godfather's lap. Sirius wrapped his strong arms protectively around the Potter heir, who contentedly rested his head on Sirius' chest. The two passed a few minutes in silence; just enjoying each other's much missed company. In the end, it was Harry who was first to break the pleasant silence between them.

"We're _all_ different...aren't we?"

"What's that mean?" Sirius inquired with a soft smile.

"Well...us. You, and me, and Moony. I'm different than other wizards, cuz I can do magic without a wand. You're different too, cuz you can turn into a dog! And Moony, well, Moony's a werewolf," Harry explained, wrinkling Sirius' shirt in his hands. The Black could not help but chuckle a bit at this.

"We're just a 'different' kind of family, then, eh?" Sirius asked, grinning. Harry smiled and nodded.

"Padfoot...are you mad at me?" Harry inquired out of nowhere. Sirius sighed at this question, knowing it would come; it was in Harry's shaped personality.

"I'm not..._mad_ at you, Prongslet. I was worried. You could've been _killed_ yesterday."

"...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"I know you didn't, kiddo. I just want you to know from now on that if Moony or I tell you not to do something or tell you to stay somewhere, we don't do it for the heck of it. If it were my call, I'd let you touch anything and go anywhere you wanted to! But there are dangers in the world that you don't know about yet, and it's because we love you that we tell you not to do some things," Sirius explained to his young Charge. Harry nodded understandingly. "Now, as for that door..."

"I'm sorry..."

"I know, and it's okay. You won't do it again, m'sure," Sirius stated, knowing Harry never did something that got him in trouble, twice. Let alone do something that _would_ get him in trouble. It was not in his persona.

"Mr. Black! You are in no state to be holding your Godson!" came Madam Pomfrey's exasperated shriek as she bustled down the hospital wing, in their direction.

"_Poppy_!" Sirius whined. Harry giggled into Sirius' shirt.

"Do not '_Poppy_' me, Mr. Black. Now put him back down and return to your bed!" Madam Pomfrey ordered strictly, her hands on her hips. Sirius sighed resignedly, detached himself from his Godson, and walked gloomily back to his bed.

"Good. Now then, this is for you, Harry dear," she smiled, uncorking the potions vial she had in her hand before handing it to the young Potter. The emerald eyed boy obediently drank it, and was amazed, once again, at the wonders it worked. He felt a _lot_ better than he had yesterday!

"Right. I would _like_ to keep you an extra day, but I think you would be fine going home tonight if you _truly_ want to," Madam Pomfrey sighed.

"That's good to hear," Sirius grinned. Madam Pomfrey huffed, annoyed, before returning to her office.

"Did...Fenrir hurt you Padfoot?" Harry inquired timidly.

"Naw, I'm good. Poppy over exaggerates all the time. Didn't hurt me a bit."

"...Okay."

"Harry...you know Remus isn't like Fenrir, don't you?" Sirius asked from his bed, sitting up a little straighter. "That he'd never do something like this to you."

"For a bit...while I was in the forrest...I wasn't really sure." Harry admitted softly. "But, I'm sure now. Moony is Moony. He and Fenrir are...different...I can sense it."

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

**A/N: **There you have it! No cliffhangers or anything! Lol. –Grins- And no killing me. –Smiles- I hope you all liked it, because I'm _pretty_ sure it's going to be the last chapter of Harry as a 4-year-old. I'm planning on skipping him a few years now. I _might_ do just _one_ more chapter with him as 4 before skipping, but I'm not sure yet. Just debating it for the moment. What do you all think?

Anywho, for those who wanna know, my other story "The Beginnings" will hopefully be updated before this week is out. I want to get it up before school starts on Monday. I hope you R&R that as well as review this chapter! Can't wait to hear your opinions!

Until next time...

-Japanime


	23. Remus & Harry

**Disclaimer: **Do I _look_ like J.K. Rowling?

**Chapter Summary: **Remus and Harry have a well-needed little chat, and Harry has a horrible nightmare...

**A/N:** It's been about the time I said I would take thanks to school starting, but true to my word, here is your next chapter. I hope it was worth the wait. Combining the reviews I got from this site and others that I have my story posted on, I decided to write this _truly _final 4-year-old Harry chapter. I personally thought I needed to tie up some things before I skipped his age some. Anywho, please review and tell me what you think. The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll try and post. –Grins- On to the chapter, then, eh? Yes, I think so…

Chapter 23: Remus & Harry

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Suffice it to say that once they had checked him over for signs of injury and found none, Ron had gotten into more trouble with his parents - mainly his mother - about the "Dark Forest Incident" than Harry had with _his_ guardians. Mostly because it had been Ron's fault the whole situation had occurred in the first place. One, he had encouraged Harry to disobey his Godfather as well as Moony, and two, he had coaxed Harry into even using his powers to do so.

Harry, of course, had gotten admonished as well, though, Sirius and Remus understood that Harry's lack of control on his empathic power had been the prominent cause for him to succumb to Ron's wish to leave the room. The Potter heir was a naturally good-hearted person and hated to be the cause those he cared about, as well as trusted, became sad or disappointed. Hence the reason he found it very difficult tell anyone he cared for "No." Which was something Sirius and Remus were going to be sure to work on with their Charge.

"Ready, Harry?" asked Remus delicately once they had passed the anti-apparition wards of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Remus had an urge to pick Harry up for the apparition from Hogwarts to "Marauders Abode", as Sirius had so christened it, but refrained himself from doing so. Picking Harry up to Apparate was what Sirius usually did, but, as Madam Pomfrey had released Harry and had forced the protesting Black to stay an extra day in the hospital wing, Sirius was unable to fulfill such a duty, and Remus was not sure Harry would like it if _he _tried to do it. ...Especially now.

_And who could blame him?_ Remus thought bitterly to himself. _He 'knows' what werewolves are now, how could he not want you as far away from him as physically possible?_

Harry, who had been silent during their walk to the edge of the wards, looked up hesitantly at Remus and replied with a soft,

"Yes," before returning his gaze to his shoes, as if fascinated by them.

What Remus _did not_ know was that Harry _was not_ acting this way because he was scared of him, or because he did not like him anymore, but because he was worried Remus _himself_ was either upset about how Harry had reacted to him in the forest or had even gone as far as to not care about Harry anymore. Which was something the Potter desperately wished was not true, but would not blame Remus if it were. And the hurt Harry could feel coming off the Lupin was not helping him feel any better about it. The last thing he wanted was for Remus to feel hurt, especially since it was he, Harry, who had done the hurting. Truth be told, Harry just wanted to throw his arms around the lycanthrope and apologize profusely and tell Remus that him being a werewolf did not matter to Harry because Remus was different and that Harry_ did _trust him. He trusted him with his _life_, but Harry was also scared of what would happen if he were to be rejected. The young Potter did not know if he would be able to handle something like that coming from someone he cared a lot about. He knew it was something Remus would never do, Remus was not like that, but he could not help but feel that the lycanthrope just _might_, mainly because of what Harry had done.

"Alrighty then," sighed Remus whipping out his wand and taking hold of Harry's hand, feeling how his Charge gripped back convulsively, as if yearning for the comfort, albeit such a small seeming one, but fearful to request it. Oh, how Remus _wanted_ to show Harry that he did not have to be scared to actually 'want' comforting! But how could he _now_?

Harry firmly shut his eyes as the all familiar 'being pressed in from all sides', that came with apparating, attacked him before he had fully prepared himself for it. He held tighter to Remus' hand and tried his best not to panic about being unable to breath. Then, as fast as it had come, the feeling left, allowing Harry's chest to rise and fall as per normal. Slowly opening his eyes, their familiar house came into view, bathed in moonlight, and it was this sight that was Harry's last straw of the little composure he had forced himself to maintain.

Remus stood looking at the house reminiscently when his hand was released from Harry's grip. And to say he was surprised when he felt the boy hug him, digging his face into Remus' robes, would be an understatement.

Instinctively, hope filling him, the Lupin bent down and hugged the boy back. Harry immediately hugged Remus tighter, as though scared if he did not he would lose the Moony he knew.

"Harry, it's okay, what's wrong?" Remus murmured softly, only to be greeted with whispered words Harry was repeating into Remus' shirt.

"…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

Remus could feel his eyes stinging, but he held it. Harry was _apologizing_? He did not do anything wrong!

"Don't be, Harry.," Remus whispered back, kissing the boy atop his mess of black hair. Harry pulled away slightly from the hug, releasing Remus, taking a small step backwards...just enough to look his Guardian in the eyes. Harry's emerald ones were filled with tears and some of them had found their way onto his cheeks. Something that tore at Remus' heart. Harry's eyes seemed to search Remus', unbelieving of the emotions he was feeling from the man.

"But…" Harry choked out. "I…"

"I love you, Harry. I always will. Even if…even if you never wanted to see me again, I would _always_ care deeply for you," stated the Lupin affectionately, cupping Harry's face in his hands and wiping away the boy's tears gently with his thumbs.

Harry shook his head fervently. "I _do_ want to see you! I do! _Please_ don't go."

"Harry…I'm…"

"I know, and I like you anyway! You'we not like that man, Moony, you'we not!" Harry pleaded, newfound tears welling-up in his eyes before he hugged the Lupin again, body racking with sobs. Remus held Harry tightly, a genuine soft smile forming on his lips. James had once told Remus the same thing, not with the exact same words, or tears, but he had said it just as fervently.

_He understands what I am now, and he still trusts me…I never would've thought I'd meet someone more like Prongs…heh, like father like son, I suppose…_

"Please…" came Harry's muffled voice.

_It'd probably kill me just as much as it'd kill him if I were to go for the sake of safety; especially since I've been with him this long and we've all been happy. We've all grown attached. I can't let just _one _thing discourage us like this; we've got to work harder at maintaining this trust we have. We've got to make it to where nothing can break us, _nothing. _We're a family, and we're going to stay that way, _Remus told himself firmly.

"I'm not going to leave, Harry," said Remus, moving Harry back a few steps so that they could see each other properly again.

"You'we…not?" the young boy hiccupped hopefully, trying to regain himself as he wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his arm. Remus smiled kindly, placing his hands on Harry's shoulders.

"Not so long as I'm still wanted here," he grinned. A true smile graced the Potter heir's features. "Now come on, if we stay out here any longer it'll be too late to have a nice cup of hot chocolate."

And looking happier than he had in days, Harry quickly took Remus by the hand and led the older man towards the house.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"When's Miss Pomby gonna let Padfoot come home?" Harry asked tiredly as Remus tucked him into bed an hour later.

"Miss Pomby?" Remus chuckled as he closed the blinds.

"Uh-huh," the young boy yawned, pulling the blanket up to his chin.

"Tomorrow, if she doesn't find something _else_ wrong with him," Remus sighed as he sat down on Harry's bed.

"I hope so."

"Don't worry. If she doesn't, I'm sure he'll end up sneaking out or something."

"Really?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," Remus grinned before bending down and planting a kiss on Harry's forehead. "You get some sleep, okay?"

"…Okay." And with that, the Lupin stood and walked to the door, readying himself to only leave the door open a crack, when Harry's voice stopped him and caused him to turn back around.

"Can it…stay open, please?"

"Sure," Remus complied, eyes softening affectionately, reopening the door completely. "Night, Harry."

"G'Night, Moony."

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

_-Harry's Dream-_

_Harry found himself, again, in the forest clearing. The sun shone high in the sky, filling him with warmth as he sat looking around. He had slowly come to realize that it was when he found himself in this particular clearing that he was able to talk with Xantos. It never failed, Xantos would appear, that much Harry was sure of. The Potter had lately begun to enjoy his talks with his second-cousin. He had been reluctant at first, and he could not say he was not still reluctant somewhat now, but he was slowly warming up to the man._

_A soft breeze flew around the clearing causing the trees to ruffle their leaves and Harry's attention to be drawn to the right. Sure enough, from behind the trees, came the hazel eyed wizard._

_"Xantos!"_

_"Hey, Harry," Xantos smiled, though he looked like he was troubled by something, as he came to a halt where Harry was and sat himself down across from him. "How've you been?"_

_"I've been…good."_

_"That's good to hear."_

_Something was different about today, Harry could tell. Xantos was usually much more talkative than this._

_"Are you alright?" Harry inquired. Xantos seemed surprised by this question._

_"I'm…hmm…can I trust you, Harry?" Xantos inquired right back, throwing_ Harry _off this time. After a few seconds Harry nodded slowly 'yes'._

_"I mean really trust you, though, I usually don't talk about these things to many people, it's kind of a secret," Xantos explained. Harry's eyes lit up, he loved secrets! And he was definitely the best at keeping them. He nodded eagerly 'yes'._

_"Okay…well…I got kinda into trouble."_

_"With who, your Uncle?" Harry asked innocently, causing Xantos to chuckle sardonically._

_"No, no, my uncle's dead. It was with my boss."_

_"Ohh…why?"_

_"Doing something I shouldn't have; I'm a real limit pusher," Xantos simplified with a rueful grin._

_"Oh," Harry replied, confusion evident in his voice, though Xantos showed no signs of wanting to elaborate on what a 'limit pusher' was. Xantos' gaze shifted from Harry to the trees beyond, not really seeing them._

_"You know, you'd think he'd be more thankful for the things I _'do' _do for him. But no. That'd go against who he is. Heh, I'd love to see him accomplish_ half _the things he's accomplished _without _his dear Spell-Smith," muttered Xantos aloud sneeringly, more to himself than to Harry, finally feeling able to speak his mind in this clearing that was void of anyone threatening. "Ungrateful little…"_

_"What's a…Spell-Smith?" asked Harry curiously, interrupting Xantos' train of thought. Xantos' gaze snapped back to Harry, oddly enough, having forgotten he was even there, and chuckled slightly._

_"Did I say_ all_ that out loud?" inquired Xantos sheepishly. Harry gave an affirmative nod, causing Xantos to sigh. "Ouch, I haven't done that in a long time." He glanced at the sky and ran a hand through his hair uncomfortably as he said this. Harry cocked his head to the side, awaiting the answer to his initial question that Xantos seemed to want to delay in answering. He looked back at the young boy, who continued to look at him expectantly, and heaved another sigh._

_"Right…a Spell-Smith. It's nothing _that _big…well, maybe to some people, but not to me…anyway, a Spell-Smith is a wizard who can make spells, spells that aren't in the books, spells that the wizard modifies to his choosing or can make them to another's specifications. Though, I haven't made spells for my own pleasure for a while…Not that that matters, my powers are put to the use their meant for," explained Xantos. Harry brought his head back up, a grin spreading on his face._

Wow, that would be so much fun! _he thought to himself._

_"So, these aren't just dreams then?"_

_"Merlin no," Xantos grinned. "This little 'subconscious dream linking' spell was something I came up with when I young and scared of nightmares...used to sneak off into James' dreams so we could spend our nights chatting, instead." _

_"Wow! Can you_ teach _me?"_

_"Heh, not that I wouldn't want to, kid, but it's not really something that can be taught," Xantos smirked. Harry's face fell slightly, but he was not deterred._

_"How come?"_

_"Spell-Smiths are very uncommon, there can't be more than five in all the wizarding world as things stand now. Wizards who are Spell-Smiths were born with the unique ability. They just didn't have a lot of control over it. Their ability needs to be refined by an Accomplished Spell-Smith before that wizard can be declared a Spell-Smith himself. It took _a lot_ of practice and _a lot _of studying for me to become one and refine my skills."_

_"So…I _can't_ be one?" asked Harry downheartedly._

_"No, Harry, you can't. But don't be sad about something as small as that. You're something better, much more rare as well, because there can only be two born - magical twins, I'd guess you'd call them - every thousand years. An Elemental can do many things that a measly Spell-Smith can't."_

_"I don't think so…"_

_"That's only because you, yourself, don't know your true potential."_

_"…Potential?" repeated the now baffled boy._

_"How much you can_ really _do with your powers."_

_"Oh…" said Harry looking down at his hands pensively for a few seconds before looking back up at Xantos. "Do…_you_ know how much I can really do?"_

_"I…" Xantos hesitated, causing Harry to look at him oddly. "…Not exactly. I know the_ basic _potential of an Elemental. But each Elemental is different, with only two of the four main elements under their complete control, and the other Elemental with the other two elements, so naturally both have very distinct abilities. For me to be able to know your exact potential, I'd have to spend much more time with you than I do now," clarified Xantos cautiously._

_"Oh."_

_"Which, sadly, is going to be less than I_ already _do, as it is," Xantos sighed._

_"W-What? Why?" inquired Harry, trying to hide his unease at the thought. Sure he did not trust Xantos to a 'tee', but that did not mean that he did not enjoy the older man's company on some level. And after being told these whole conversations were real and not just dreams! It was nice to have someone to just talk to and be your ear and you theirs. Ron and he, of course, had that kind relationship, but for some reason this one felt different to Harry, though he did not know why._

_"Thanks to my 'supposed' disobedience, I've got a lot of things I've been assigned to do, loose ends I need to tie up. People I need to have some chats with and that sort of thing." Harry's face fell at this pronouncement. "Don't get me wrong, I'll come and see you! Just…not as often…for now anyway."_

_A silence fell between the two that quickly became an uncomfortable one._

_"So, er, have you 'told' anyone about our little meetings, Harry?" Xantos asked, breaking the silence after a few minutes._

_"…No. Why?"_

_"Oh, just wondering, because I'd like it more if our meetings were...you know, kept a secret."_

_"Why?"_

_"Well…Black and Lupin aren't the fondest people of me, and they certainly wouldn't want us talking. They'd end up make sure we _never _talked again. I don't want that, and I hope you wouldn't want that either. Sooo, I think it'd be good if we just kept it between the two of us, okay?"_

_Harry got one of those feelings that he tended to get whenever he was around Xantos. He had actually started to be able to read into these feelings of his, but for some reason whenever he was with Xantos his feelings were fuzzy and indistinguishable, and the messy raven haired boy was not sure what they wanted to tell him. So he resorted to trying to read Xantos' motives through his emotions, only to hit the all too familiar wall that did not permit Harry entrance. The young Potter gave a resigned sigh._

_"Alright."_

_"Is it a promise?"_

_"…Yeah, it's a promise."_

_"Good," Xantos smiled, ruffling the Potter heir's hair. "I knew I could count on you, Harry."_

_"_Potter..._" a voice, that could barely be heard, whispered angrily from all around them._

_And before Harry could utter another word to his cousin, the man disappeared, though it did not look like something he had wanted to do, and the scene Harry had been in was consumed by darkness and he found himself falling though it. The Potter tried to scream, but found he had no voice, which scared him more than the fact that he was falling. After what felt like an eternity he landed roughly on the floor of an all too familiar living room. TOO familiar for Harry's liking. Fear gripping his insides he glanced around the room, only to be greeted with the many, many pictures of his monstrosity of a cousin Dudley. Then he heard the voice that he had hoped to be able to never hear again in his life._

_"BOY!" snarled Uncle Vernon coming out of the door that led to the kitchen, wild eyes landing on his young nephew. "How DARE you set one filthy STEP into my house!"_

_"N-N-No, I-I…" stuttered Harry, having finally regained his voice, backing away slowly. He felt himself back into the wall as his uncle closed the space between them with a few quick strides._

_"Shut up, idiot boy! I_ never_ gave you permission to speak!" Uncle Vernon roared, grabbing Harry by the collar and slamming him roughly into the wall, causing the boy to cry out in pain. Harry's cry only earned him a slap across the face and him being dropped forcefully onto the ground. He bit his bottom lip to refrain from making another sound as Uncle Vernon grabbed his smelting stick from next to the door and brought it down in one swift motion onto Harry's back. Four more whacks followed in quick succession, each one harder than the last, all the while Harry holding in his screams, knowing better than to release them._

_"You're nothing but a no good freak, boy! You've only been a useless burden to anyone who's EVER taken you in!" Uncle Vernon shouted. "And I think what you_ truly_ need is a good few rounds with the belt. Don't you dare move, or I'll make sure it's_ that_ much worse, boy!"_

_Harry whimpered helplessly once Uncle Vernon reached the top of the stairs to go in search for his belt, as he brought his knees up to his chest wrapping his arms around them and crying into them. He ached all over._

Why is this happening? _he could not help but think as he cried. What had happened to Xantos? Where was Padfoot? Where was Moony? Why was he _here.

_Not more than two minutes later Uncle Vernon came bounding down the stairs, a look of pure enjoyment on his face. Hearing the footfalls coming Harry was quick to stand, only to be thrown back to the floor by his Uncle who then raised the belt threateningly. Harry's snapped his eyes shut, anxiously awaiting it's connecting with his body. Though it never happened. Harry ventured to open his eyes to see why, but desperately wished he had not when he saw what he saw. Uncle Vernon no longer stood there. Instead terrified emerald eyed boy was face to face with Fenrir Greyback, who's mouth was open revealing his dangerously sharp, long, and yellow teeth coming ever closer, a look of ravenous hunger in the werewolf's golden eyes._

_"Nooooooo!"_

"Harry?"

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"Harry!" came Remus Lupin's voice from somewhere above him, though it sounded oddly distant. "Harry, wake up! It's okay, you're only dreaming!" Remus, who was dressed in his night clothes, sat next to Harry on the young boy's bed, shaking him gently.

Remus, being the light sleeper that he was, had been awoken easily with Harry's yelps of pain. Worry threatening to consume him, he had hurried to his Charge's bedroom to find out what was wrong. Harry had tossed and turned in his bed until he had wrapped himself up completely in his blankets, like a straight jacket. The boy's cheeks were wet with tears, and his face was contorted in pain. At Harry's yell of "No!" Remus immediately decided that if he was going to wake Harry up, just saying his name was not going to work.

"No…no…" Harry murmured, not fully awake yet.

"Harry, you're fine, I'm here."

Harry's eyes snapped open, and acting as his reflexes told him to the Potter back away quickly until he hit the headboard, looking around as though expecting to be attacked, fear swirling in his green gaze. Remus' eyes softened at the look on Harry's face, he could only imagine what the boy had dreamed.

"Harry…"

The messy haired Potter's head instantly turned back to Remus, finally allowing himself to see that it was indeed _Moony_ sitting there. Newfound tears welling up in his eyes, Harry launched himself into Remus' arms, which instinctively wrapped themselves around him comfortingly, and sobbed into his Guardian's nightshirt.

"Moony…it hurt…it hurt _so much_…"

"I know, know, It's going to be okay, cub. I'm here, I'm here," Remus soothed, mind reeling with thoughts. Who hurt Harry? And…was it not impossible to get hurt in your dreams? That unnerved Remus the most. Only magically induced dreams could be felt by the dreamer…

The Lupin waited until Harry had calmed down some before he decided to ask,

"What did you dream, Harry?"

"I dreamed…" he hesitated slightly. He had made a promise to his second-cousin, and keeping to it, he skipped that part completely. "U-Uncle Vernon…h-he…" Harry's voice choked, tears coming to his eyes again. He had stopped feeling pain the second he had woken up, but the memories alone…

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, I should've come to you sooner."

Trying to calm himself again Harry rested his head on Remus' shoulder and Remus rubbed soothing circles into the child's back.

"Can I…" Harry began uncertainly. "Can I sleep with you, Moony? I-I don't want to be alone…"

"Of course you can! You can whenever you want, Harry, you don't even have to ask!"

And with that Remus scooped the boy up, who was still shaking slightly, and brought him to his spacious bedroom up the hall. He pulled back his large comforter and gently laid his Charge down before covering him up. Remus got in on the other side and not three seconds had passed before he felt Harry's small form cuddling up against his chest, holding onto his shirt tightly as he buried his face in it. The Lupin wrapped an arm around his young Charge protectively and placed a tender kiss on top of his unruly raven-black hair. The boy sighed a soft content sigh against him.

"I love you…Moony…" Harry murmured sleepily into Remus shirt, feeling a sense of security and safety in his Guardian's arms.

"I love you too, cub, _more_ than I can say with words…" Remus replied with a soft smile.

The two fell into a peaceful sleep together, just like that. It was in this exact same position the Sirius Black, _The Hospital Wing Escapee Extraordinaire_, found them in the morning, and could not help the affectionate smile that formed at the sight.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

**A/N:** There you are, I really hope you enjoyed the last chapter of 4-year-old Harry Potter. Grins Please review and tell me what you think!

I thought it'd be a good idea to tell you guys a little bit more about the Elements and their representations. I researched a lot for this story and here is something very influential in this story that I found.

Fire Represents: Passion, Emotion, & Warmth (as in kindness).

Water Represents: Tranquility, Composure & Purposefulness.

Earth Represents: Stability, Prudence & Determinedness.

Air Represents: Sensibility, Forcefulness & Friendliness.

But no matter which other element an Elemental has, their first one is their main one.

Which means their personality matches more to their first element's representation than to their second element's representation.

Though their second element 'is' influential to their personality, it is not dominant.

In Harry's case, Fire is his Dominant Element. Because of that, you can see those traits more pronounced in him, though, of course, you see his back round personality, Air, that influence him greatly.

So, now knowing what I've told you, I think it'd be fun to see who you think the other Elemental is. –Grins- ...Who's two element powers 'must' be Water & Earth since there can only be two Elementals every thousand years and Harry already has the powers of Fire & Air. ...This setup is of course to prevent there being some "All Powerful" Elemental Wizard who controls all four elements. Instead the four elements are split up evenly every thousand-year period into two wizards/witches...two people who are twins at their magical core. -Nods.-

Until next time…

-Japanime1


	24. The Ups & Downs of Learning & Teaching

**Disclaimer: **Last time I checked, I looked nothing like J.K. Rowling.

**Chapter Summary: **A few days in the life of a six year old Elemental Harry Potter.

**A/N: **Been a few weeks, hasn't it? Sorry, for the wait, but school has buried me with homework and projects. But this weekend, I swore to myself, that I wouldn't make you all wait any longer than you had. And here you are! Aren't ya glad? Haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing and editing it. I actually laughed a few times. :P Happy reading!

Chapter 24: The Ups & Downs of Learning & Teaching

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

6-year-old Harry James Potter ran as fast as his legs could carry him across the front yard with only one thought planted firmly in his mind. "To not _get caught_."

The sun shone high in the sky, lighting up the world with its warm rays, which meant that it was that time of the afternoon that his Godfather helped him further his powers little by little and helped him gain a better control over them.

A few months after his masterful escape from the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, - Madam Pomfrey had shown up at their house the next day and _boy _did Sirius regret having run away, hehe…but he does not talk about that part of the story when he recounts his flight from _that_ sanitarium - Sirius Orion Black, now the age of 26, had taken to reading about Elementals and their abilities. Now if it were up to Sirius, himself, he would not lay a_ finger_ on a book. He held great disdain for them - he did not know_ how _Remus could stand, let alone_ enjoy_, it - but for his Godson he would give the world if he could. So, suppressing the tremendously strong urge to shudder, he had picked up the first of the books, and began to read. He knew that it was necessary for him to be able to understand Harry's power on every level if he was going to help them progress and grow.

They had to go slowly, of course, mainly because magical strain could happen easily. Sirius knew this from earlier experiences when he, Harry, and Remus had started this little routine shortly after Harry's fifth birthday. The two guardians decided in advanced that they would divide the schedule between them. Sirius goes through magical exercises with Harry on the weekends, while Remus took up the inside work such as learning to read, write, and do basic arithmetic, during the week.

Now, the Potter heir thoroughly relished his time with his Guardians as they taught him, they had formed a very tight bond between the three of them and understood each other very well. But these past few weekends Harry had taken to pretending he did _not_ like his outside time with Padfoot. "Why?" Many would ask. Why - to make Padfoot have to chase him around, of course! Sirius would say it was time to practice and Harry would say, "Only if you can catch me!", before dashing off.

So, if you have not been able to tell already, that was the situation Sirius found himself in at this precise moment in time. Did it annoy him? No, not even for a second. Quite the contrary, actually. A grin would spread across his lips every time Harry's laughter and giggles reached his ears as the boy was chased. Children were only children for so long, they seemed to grow up in the blink of an eye, and Sirius was going to make sure he cherished every ounce of his Godson's youthful innocence before it was gone - for he knew he was going to miss it dearly when it was.

Panting, a grin planted in place, Harry ran behind one of the many trees surrounding their house. Trying to catch his breath, he leaned against the tree and listened with all his might. He knew Padfoot was close by and that if he was not careful he would most certainly get caught, but he was ready to dash at the slightest sound of leaf or grass crunching. He waited a beat, expecting to hear _something_, waited another beat, but no sound came from around the other side of the tree in the direction of the house.

_Where'd he go? _Harry pondered, frowning slightly, eyebrows creased, almost disappointed. _Padfoot can usually catch me faster than this… _

Taking his chances, Harry turned around, placed his hands on the tree's rough bark, and risked inclining as far to the left as he could in order to see around the other side of the tree without actually leaving his supposedly hidden position.

_He's nowhere! _Harry thought to himself as he looked from left to right. _Why's_ he_ the one hidi…--_

A gasp of surprise escaped Harry's lips as a strong pair of hands grabbed him from behind and lifted him into the air.

"Gotcha!" sniggered an all too familiar voice as he lifted the young boy onto his shoulders.

"Padfoot!" breathed Harry, amazed. "How'd you…?"

"Little tricks you learn as you get to be old like me," the Black grinned, walking back in the direction of the house.

"You're not _old_, Padfoot!" Harry giggled, almost slipping off Sirius' shoulders in the process, but was righted again by his Godfather.

"Glad to hear you think so, Prongslet," Sirius smiled. "But, now, my little Getaway, I _have_ caught you. Sooo…"

Sirius set Harry down a good fifteen feet from the house, and gave his Godson a pointed look.

"Oookay…" sighed Harry unenthusiastically, lowering his head to gaze at his feet, pretending to be sad. "If I could 'Flame' away you wouldn't be able to catch me…"

Sirius grinned at the usage of his invented word for Harry's ability to 'apparate', so it could be said, but with fire, and shook his head comically, mentally thanking Merlin for the fact that the boy _had not_ mastered 'Flaming' just yet. They had tried it a few times, but it seemed it was still too advanced for his young body to handle. He would not fall in a dead faint like he had for his fourth birthday, but he would be extremely weak the rest of the day and most of the next, barely able to hold himself up on his, seeming to be at the time, jelly filled legs. Sirius was sure a few more years, however, and Harry would have it down to a science.

"Would you_ really_ try and Flame away from me, Prongslet?" Sirius inquired, genuine sadness hidden in his tone, something that Harry had absolutely no trouble picking up. His powers had grown some over the past few years, yes, but his empathic ability had been the first and only, so far, to become acute to a 'T'.

The young Potter's head shot up, emerald eyes that seemed to look past you and into your very soul met bluish-grey ones, conveying his deep feelings just through the look in his unique green eyes.

"No, Padfoot. I wouldn't leave you, wouldn't ever _want_ to leave you. You and Moony are like…Daddy's to me. We're all…" Harry looked pensive for a moment, as though searching for the right word, then snapped his fingers as it came to him, a smile spreading across his face. "…Like the three parts of the Oreo! Separated they don't taste as good, but together they taste the best!"

Sirius, eyes shining, a fierce pride bursting deep within him, bent to one knee, put his hands on Harry's shoulders, brought him a few steps closer, and kissed the boy atop his unruly hair.

"You can't…say things like that," the Black murmured without conviction, voice thick with emotion, pulling the boy into his arms, burying his face into the forest of black hair.

"…Does it make you mad?" asked Harry, voice muffled somewhat by Sirius' shirt, knowing the answer to be 'no' before he had even asked it.

"That's the problem…it doesn't," said Sirius, a faint smile on his lips as he released his Godson and composed himself again. Some part deep inside roared at him for the fact that he was happy that Harry thought of him as a father, the part that was as loyal to James and his memory as could be. But then he was okay, because he knew, also, somewhere deep inside him, that if James where to have known he was going to die at the young age that he did, and that he was going to leave his treasured son helplessly by himself in the cruel world, he would have hoped that if Harry were to think of anyone else as father-worthy other that James himself, it would be his two best friends.

"Can we do the marshmallows today, Padfoot? They're yummy," said Harry, eyes coming alive at the prospect. Sirius could not help but laugh, his Godson always found a way to make him smile, it never failed.

"Course we can, Prongslet! I would not mind a few myself," replied Sirius, sitting down on the cool grass, cross-legged, and motioning for Harry to do the same. Smiling, the Potter promptly obeyed, and watched as his Godfather whipped out his wand and conjured a bag of marshmallows out of thin air.

_Wicked_, thought Harry, his smile rapidly turning into the trademark 'Potter' grin. He may have been around it for years now, and he may be able to do some himself, but Magic never ceased to amaze him. It always made him feel a weird sense of being more at home, then…well…home.

"Here we are," declared Sirius, opening the bag, taking one out, and setting the rest next to him. "Let's let you try _without_ your hands today, okay, kiddo?" Sirius, holding the marshmallow between his forefinger and thumb, held it out between them.

Harry gave Sirius an uncertain glance before returning his gaze to the marshmallow and nodding once.

_Okay, okay, you can do this, _he told himself firmly, _Just because you've never done it without your hands doesn't mean you can't do it. _

Harry found his powers more controllable when they were concentrated into something, in this case his hands. Just like Sirius' wand, it was something to concentrate your magic into. Harry knew he could do Air magic with his eyes and hands, knew so by experience. Sooo, that meant he could do Fire the same way, he was sure. But then again, when he did Air magic with his eyes, it was very much out of his line of control, unlike when he did it with his hands.

Shaking his head of these thoughts - this was something Padfoot believed he needed to master, so he _was_ going to master it - Harry's eyes narrowed on the marshmallow, brows creasing with concentration. No more than two seconds later…

"Ahh!" yelped Sirius, dropping the marshmallow, which was on fire, - but fizzled once it hit the ground - flicking his hand back and forth trying to cool it.

Eyes widening to the size of saucers at what, precisely, he had done, Harry jumped up, worry enveloping him.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry!"

"Naw, I'm good! I had half expected it to turn out that way anyway," Sirius chuckled, motioning again for Harry to sit down, giving him a reassuring smile as he blew on his fingers. The Potter sat down uneasily, eyeing Sirius' hand as though expecting it to burst into flame or something…

"Are you sure?" he inquired again, anxiously. "I'm sorry, Padfoot..."

"Don't apologize for something you had no control over, Prongslet! How many times do I have to tell you? Did you _mean_ to burn my fingers?"

Looking thunderstruck by the very_ idea_, Harry vigorously shook his head 'no.'

"Well, then, all's well that ends well. It's going to be like this _now_, but as Moony says, "Practice makes perfect", and you'll have it down in no time. You may be able to do it even better than with your hands in the end," Sirius assured, having finally cooled his fingers, extracting another marshmallow from the bag, Harry giving him a dubious look as he did so.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

By the end of the weekend, Harry felt horrible. He was positive he would_ never _get his power under control with anything other than his hands. Sirius had come inside with his hands very red from having caught fire, however briefly, more than twenty times. Though, beyond Harry's line of comprehension, Padfoot was not upset about it at all. He seemed gleeful, if nothing else. He was still optimistic that the young Potter was going to be able to learn how to do it without any trouble. Remus had looked up a spell that healed minor burns and had preformed it on his friend. …Seeing as how the Black had outright _refused_ going to _'that woman' _again.

But it was Monday, now, and Harry was going to have five days before he ended up burning Padfoot again. So, trying to get his mind off the topic of his difficulties with Handless Elemental Magic and what he had put Padfoot through, even though Padfoot had been more than willing, Harry got up from bed, stretched, yawned, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He looked blearily around his bedroom before realizing why he could not see anything, and quickly grabbed his glasses off the nightstand and put them on, bringing the room into much clearer focus.

One of Harry's fifth birthday gifts had been a remodeling of his bedroom, Moony had done it, and then on his sixth Sirius had done another one. The messy haired child liked it, it was fun having different decorations, wallpaper, bedspreads, and stuff every year. Padfoot, Moony, and Harry decided on it being a tradition. "Same old, same old, is boring!" Sirius would say. This year Harry's favorite part of his room was his wallpaper and ceiling. It was covered in Quidditch wallpaper that actually moved; brightly robed players playing the game. His ceiling was a painting of the clear sky with a Golden Snitch zipping around being chased by two Seekers of the opposing teams which occasionally where being chased by Bludgers. Harry liked watching these two at night before he fell asleep.

Padding over to his closet, he opened it and picked out a pair of jeans and the Chudley Cannons T-shirt Ron gave him for his Birthday a few months ago. Disrobing himself of his dragon covered pajamas, which was a gift from Charlie, Harry slipped into his clothes, made his bed - which was covered in little black dogs which looked suspiciously like Padfoot - , and proceeded out of his room, going downstairs, taking the steps two at a time, a little something that Fred and George had taught him to do.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

_-In the time that Harry was getting ready to come down to breakfast-_

"He really likes it, Padfoot, I don't know why you're making such a fuss," stated Remus as the two set the table for a breakfast consisting of chocolate chip pancakes.

"It's _reading_, Moony! I mean, I can understand reading because you _have_ to, but actually _liking_ it?" replied Sirius, repulsed at the thought.

"_I_ like reading."

"That's because you're, _you_."

"Are you calling me weird?"

"No…maybe…"

Remus sighed and shook his head as he placed two pancakes on each of the three plates.

"_Prongs_ didn't like to read," Sirius stated sullenly, sitting down on one of the chairs.

"Harry's not Prongs," countered the lycanthrope easily.

"I know, I'm just trying to figure out where he got it from…"

"Lily _loved _to read."

"Oh yeah… I_ told_ Prongs not to get involved with her! Told him she would be trouble from the off. But did he listen to _me_? Noooo…"

"You were just jealous you were losing your best friend to a girl," sighed Remus, sitting down as well. Sirius gaped open-mouthed at the Lupin as though he had never seen him before.

"I_ resent _that."

"Don't lie to yourself, you wanted all of us to be bachelors forever. Moreover, if James _hadn't_ married Lily, Harry wouldn't be around. With every loss there is a gain, and vise-versa, as they say."

"Granted," the Black consented, leaning back in his chair; Remus had an awfully true point. "But_ reading_?" he whined. Remus rolled his eyes as Sirius dragged them back to the initial subject. Luckily for the lycanthrope, for a moment anyway, Harry entered the kitchen at that exact second.

"G'Morning, Prongslet!" Sirius greeted amiably, sitting up quickly enough.

"Good Morning, Harry," Remus smiled.

"Morning," the young Potter returned, taking his place at the table, toes scuffing the floor since he was not yet big enough to sit perfectly in the chair.

"Did you brush your teeth, cub?" inquired Remus abruptly, right when the emerald eyed boy had picked up his fork to begin eating the delicious looking pancakes. A sheepish looked crept onto Harry's face, as he slowly shook his head in the negative.

"Thought so," grinned Remus knowingly. "Hop to it, and hurry back, mmkay? You don't want it to get cold do you?"

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

_-Later that afternoon-_

"5 + 5?"

"Um…10?"

"Yep! How about _10_ + 5?"

"Erm…" Harry lifted up his hands and used his fingers to help him add. "…15."

"Right. 10 – 9?"

"1!" Harry replied instantly, he _knew _that one. Remus chuckled at this.

Harry was an exceptionally bright child - Remus had known this _before _they had started to school him, but it never ceased to make him smile - and loved to learn new things. It had taken the messy haired child a bit to understand the basics of Arithmetic, but he finally had adding and subtracting down, and they would be moving onto multiplication here soon. Harry had mixed feelings about math. He did not hate it, but he did not love it either. Reading, on the other hand, he enjoyed completely. He had gained a hunger to learn how ever since Remus had started reading him bedtime stories. Sirius knew this, now, and blamed _Remus_ for his Godson's pleasure in reading, while Remus told him to stop acting so childish about the matter.

Needless to say Harry picked up the basics of reading and the alphabet ten times faster than he had arithmetic, and had read his first short book - not perfectly, of course - a month after Remus started teaching him. The young boy could now do it very well and whenever he _did not_ know a word, he would just ask Moony.

"Where's Padfoot, Moony?" asked Harry, as Remus picked up the flashcards they had been using and put them away. The two worked in the Potter's room where Sirius had bought Harry a desk to be able to do his schoolwork on.

"Sulking in his room, knowing him," Remus sighed with a smile.

"Why?"

"Because he has yet to accept that life doesn't revolve around him and his view of things."

"…Oh," said Harry, as though he fully understood, which was far from the truth, but decided against asking for a more explicit answer. Moony and Padfoot had their off days, their _disagreeing_ days, Harry knew, even though it did not happen often, but when it did he knew it was best to let them fix it between themselves.

_If it's ever fixed_ he thought to himself, giggling mentally. There were some disagreements that never came to an end; some people could be really stubborn.

"Anyway, let's move on to writing, eh?"

After a half hour of writing out the alphabet and then forming words with the letters - Harry's handwriting was not the best in the world, but really, what 6-year-old's is? - , they proceeded onto Harry's favorite subject.

"Can we go to the store, Moony?" requested Harry, a little after he read, "_If You Give A Mouse A Cookie_", aloud to Remus and the older man declared their school day done.

"Why would you need to go to the store?"

"I want to pick out my_ own_ book to read," explained Harry, grinning.

"Ah, _I_ see. You mean a bookstore."

"Mmhmm!"

"Sure we can, I could probably pick out a few for myself, as well," the Lupin replied with a nod. It had been a while since he had bought some new books.

"Cool! I'll go get my shoes!" announced Harry happily, hurriedly getting up, almost tripping because he had gotten his foot stuck in the leg of the chair, grabbing his desk for support for a moment before he steadied himself, then ran to his bed and bent down to look for his shoes, the whole time a smile planted on his lips.

Laughing at the seven-second scene that had unfolded in front of him, Remus went over to the bed to help his Charge look for his shoes.

_These are truly The Ups & Downs of Learning & Teaching..._

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**A/N: **So, what did you think of it? Good, bad, horrible, okay? I love hearing all of your opinions, and the more I get, the faster I try to update. Motivation is the key to all your wishes people! –Smiles-

Anywho, I've got a question for you. Just for curiosities sake, "if you were an Elemental witch / wizard, which two Elements do you think you'd be?" –Grins-

Well, that's it for now, I'll try and see when I can update again, but if you guys want 'soon', there is only one thing you've gotta do. Review, Review, Review!

Until next time…

-Chloe

A.K.A – Japanime1


	25. Darkness Under The ThreeQuarter Moon

**Disclaimer:** Do you really think I'd be posting my work _here _on if I were J.K. Rowling?

**Chapter Summary: **Harry and Remus go to the bookstore...

**A/N:** Wow, a lot of people reviewed in response to my question about what two elements you all would be! I found your many different combinations very interesting to read. –Smiles- I truly appreciate the fact that so many of you have stuck by me this far into my story. I know I haven't been updating as much as you all would like, thanks to school. But I'm glad (and grateful) that you've all been bearing with me. –Smiles-

Chapter 25: Darkness Under The Three-Quarter Moon

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Harry and Remus walked hand in hand down the sidewalk of the small town they lived, passing the very playground where Harry met his best friend Ronald Weasley. It does not take much to guess why Sirius is not accompanying them on their little trip to town. Remus had gone into Sirius' room to inform him of where he and Harry were off to, and the look his friend gave him was not one anyone would particularly want to be on the receiving end of. Remus had said that Sirius really needed to just accept the fact that he was not going to be able to keep 'reading' out of the house, and Sirius said he would but that it was just…ugh… Once past that, Sirius dryly said for them to _enjoy_ themselves - _"As much as one can in a bloody _'bookstore'_…" _- , and that this would give him some time to floo up to Diagon Alley, get a few needed things, and pick up the newest Daily Prophet paper.

"There it is!" proclaimed Harry, looking up at a Remus, a pleading gaze in his green eyes. The Lupin nodded and the six year old happily wiggled his hand out of the werewolf's grasp and ran the rest of the sidewalk, whirling back around once he reached the beginning of the store parking lot waiting eagerly for Remus to catch up so that they could go on in.

"Aw, come on, Moony! You're slow..." the messy raven haired child mock-pouted, putting his hands on his hips. Remus chuckled at this display, Harry was always a sight. ...But before he could reply, the Potter lowered his hands from their previous position, raised his right one, palm up, until it was outstretched in front of him, and a powerful gust of air hit Remus from behind, nearly throwing him off balance. Skipping a few steps, in order to keep up with the wind that wanted to keep pushing him forward. Remus reached Harry, and the second he did the wind died straight away, leaving only the nice breeze it had been to begin with. Harry lowered his hand, and smiled innocently up at Remus.

"Harry! You know you can't do magic out here!" Remus admonished gently, looking around, trying to assess if anyone had seen what had presently occurred. Merlin knew that _all_ they needed was for magical use to be picked up from way out here. Their hideaway would be screwed. Yes, they had spells on and around their house to prevent magical detection from not only the ministry, but also anyone else that had the ability to pick up such things. …But out here?

_Let's just hope it wasn't strong enough to be distinguished from anything other than regular wind…_ Remus told himself uncertainly.

"But…there isn't anyone around, Moony," stated Harry honestly, not understanding what he might have done wrong. He knew doing magic in front of Muggles was not good. But there was not anyone in seeing distance of what he had just done…

_So why…?_

"That doesn't matter, Harry. It's not the people _around _us that we truly have to worry about, okay?" Remus conveyed, earnestly.

"Okay…" repeated Harry, slightly crestfallen, understanding, but not_ understanding_.

Smiling softly, Remus admitted, "Not that it wasn't fun, though. You should show_ that _little technique to Padfoot when we get home."

"You think he'd like it?" asked Harry, face brightening once more, positively bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Like it? He'd love it!" grinned Remus. Harry smiled widely at this. "But let's hurry up and get inside, the sun's going to be going down soon, and you want to get a new book, don't you?"

Eyes widening at the comprehension that his little 'wind show' had cost him more time than it had bought him, Harry nodded rapidly, grasped Remus' hand and led him across the empty street, passed the parking lot which was somewhat full, and into the moderately sized bookstore.

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_-Miles away in the Diagon Alley of London- (…The only 'Diagon Alley', actually…)_

Sirius Black walked into Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, not to look for a new set of robes, but a set of gloves. And not just any kind of gloves either. He wanted…

"Fire resistant gloves," said Sirius, rather bluntly and upfront.

"Fire…resistant gloves?" Madam Malkin repeated as though asking him if he knew actually what he wanted, it was not every day she received _that _kind of request.

"Erm…yeah. I'm, er, _horrible_ at muggle cooking," stated Sirius, giving the woman a complete truth, even though that was not the real reason he wanted the gloves. "I've been trying my hand at it, and each time I've ended up setting my cooking gloves on fire. And have you ever tried to cook a marshmallow with fire and not a wand?"

Madam Malkin chuckled at this and shook her head 'no'. "I've never had reason to."

"Well…it burns."

"I would imagine so," she smiled. "I'll go check and see if I've got in stock the material you need."

Sirius nodded his thanks and the plumpish woman bustled off.

Sighing, he leaned against the back wall and gazed around dispassionately, if not a little haughtily, as his mind wandered to his Godson - to Prongslet. Who was, at this moment, for all Sirius knew, buying a new _'book'_. The mere _thought _gave Sirius an urge to shudder. He could not believe that he had had the boy for almost three years, had talked about and taught him more marauder qualities than not, and _still_ Remus had gotten into the boy's yet moldable young mind.

_'Reading', honestly! Of _'all' _the character-traits he could've picked up or learned from Moony, it was _'reading'_ for Merlin's sake!_

Now, Sirius knew, in the deepest part of his mind filled with things he would not accept, that reading was not such a bad thing. It was a good thing, in fact. And, though he would never admit it out loud or even openly to himself, he was happy, on some level, that if Harry had picked up anything from Remus, it was Remus' fondness of reading and love for knowledge. It would help his Godson in the long run; Sirius knew this, even though, right now, it did not make him feel that way.

Before he could reflect more on the subject, Madam Malkin came back to bring him over so she could take his hand measurements, saying that she believed she had just enough of the specific fabric to make his set of gloves.

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Harry sat on a mini colorful couch, in the kid's section of the bookstore, reading a book. He had asked Remus if he could sit here and read while he tried to decide which one he wanted to buy, whilst Remus went to look for one for himself. The older man had agreed, telling Harry that they could not stay _too_ long, but that Harry could do so for a little while. There were other children in the bookstore as well; Harry had taken notice of them, but most of them, unlike him, where just looking around for coloring books and such. Turning back to his book, absorbedly reading, happy he had yet to find a word he did not know, the young Potter did not realize that he had company. Usually, he knew when someone was near him, for he could pick up on their emotional signature, but in a store this size, and so many people going to and fro, Harry had lowered his receiving ability so as not to be overloaded. A little trick Padfoot had taught him how to do early in the year.

The bushy haired, brown eyed, seven-year-old girl standing in front of him, with a book in her hand, went on unnoticed - which, unbeknown to Harry, seemed to be annoying her - , until, with a huff, she sat down next to him, the cushions of the couch going down in the process thanks to their combined weight. Using his peripheral vision, Harry looked over from his book and saw her reading from her own. Though it did not look like it was something she wanted to do. Truth be told, Harry got a sense that she was trying to control some urge or strong curiosity that was trying to burst forth from her. He doubted it was the fact that she had realized 'who' he was, for this was a Muggle place and the chances that she was a witch were extremely minimal. Therefore, shrugging mentally, Harry returned to his book, just a few pages from the end.

The girl took this time to look over at _him _through _her_ peripheral vision. She came to this store often and, one, had never seen him around before, and, two, it was an extreme rarity for her to find someone else who actually enjoyed sitting down and reading something. He turned the page, read, turned again, now on the last page of a book she could not see the name of. A smile was spreading across his lips, and she could not take it anymore. Putting her book roughly down on her lap, she turned to him.

"Are you _really _reading?" she questioned, a hint of bossiness in her tone.

"Umm…" Harry finished the last line, closed the book, and then looked back at the girl. "Yeah, why?"

"It's just…I've never seen…what's your name?"

"Harry…Potter," replied Harry tentatively.

"I'm Hermione Granger. And I think it's very nice that you really came here to read, not very many people do. But, I mean, who comes to a bookstore if _not_ to read? Honestly! I find it awfully annoying when people come in and act as if this place was not important," the girl, Hermione, as it were, said all this in exceedingly rapid succession, as though she had never talked about this to anyone else and was glad to get it out of her system.

Harry was not sure if he agreed with _all_ her logic, but he did not think it would be wise to tell her so. She looked like someone one did not want as an enemy.

"So, are you thinking about getting a book to take home?"

"Yeah, but I haven't picked one yet."

"Ohh, here, come with me!" And without warning, she grabbed Harry's hand and began pulling him to the back of the kid's section of the store.

"Here you are," said Hermione, smiling widely as she released Harry and picked up a shimmering greenish book and placed it into his hands.

"What's this?" asked Harry, looking at the cover of the book where the words "Magically Magical" were written in gold.

"It's a book about magic, of course. I liked it."

"But not _real_ magic, this is a Muggle store," stated Harry without much though. Hermione gave the green eyed male a questioning look, as though trying to understand what he meant. Becoming conscious of what he had just said out loud, Harry closed his eyes, mentally hitting himself over the head for not thinking before he had talked. Not only had he called this a _'Muggle'_ place, but he had said so in front of a _Muggle_, something Padfoot and Moony had told him they were not supposed to do. Muggles were not to know about magic in any shape or form. Harry did not exactly know _why _this was so, but if Padfoot and Moony said it was so, then it was so. He had no doubt about that, for his guardians had never once told him something that was not true.

"Muggle? What's a muggle? And what do you mean not _real_ magic?" inquired Hermione, her eyes alight with curiosity. The very questions Harry had been dreading most to hear come from her, but had known would. Taking a steadying breath, putting his thoughts in proper order, Harry opened his expressive emerald green eyes to meet inquisitive brown ones.

"'Muggle' means…normal." There, that was not a _complete_ lie, at least. "Yeah! This is a _Muggle_ bookstore, a _normal _one, not a_ big_ one… Get it?" Harry chuckled uneasily. Hermione's eyes narrowed shrewdly, but she said nothing against Harry's definition of the word. Merlin knew he could not lie to save his life, and Hermione did not look like an easy to deceive girl. The next sentence that came out of his mouth, "And of course it's not_ real _magic. There is…no…_real _magic," brought Harry sudden troubling memories of when he lived with the Dursley's, but he did not let them overtake him. Gone were the days when they did. Shaking his head of the recollections - looking like he was shaking his head 'no' to better prove his point, in Hermione's opinion, anyway - Harry refocused on the moment at hand.

"You don't believe in magic?" asked Hermione, looking at Harry as though she doubted that he did not.

"Erm…no…" responded Harry, though it hurt him to say so. He really _liked _magic!

"Really? I think you do…I know _I _do," said Hermione, a hint of haughtiness to her tone.

"Y-you do?"

"Yeah, I've seen people in funny looking clothes do some weird things before, even disappear into thin air. Mummy doesn't believe me, but I'm sure of it."

Harry looked at Hermione incredulously. Had she _really_ seen those things, or was it just a ploy to get him to admit there actually _was_ magic. He did not know, and did not get to question her sincerity on the matter - even though, on some level, he knew she was not lying - because at that moment Remus appeared behind Hermione, a few books in hand, and a cheerful smile on his lips.

"Ready, Harry?"

The Potter heir looked at Moony, not sure whether to be relieved or sad that he had arrived, glanced at Hermione, who looked somewhat crestfallen that Harry had to be going already, then back at the Lupin.

"Yes…I'm ready," answered Harry, beginning to follow Moony, who had turned and begun back down the aisle at the young boy's affirmative reply.

"Will I see you later, Harry?" called Hermione after him, a sliver of hope seeping into her voice. Harry turned back for a moment, thought about it, then nodded.

"I think so. Do you live around here?"

"Not too far away."

"Okay, maybe later then. Here or maybe at the park. I could bring my friend Ron, I think you'd like him," grinned Harry.

"Alright," Hermione smiled, she did not have that many friends. Not many people liked to be around know-it-alls and what not. But Harry did not seem like that kind of boy. Something Hermione did assure herself, though, was that Harry had something to hide, and she was going to find out what it was.

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"Make a new friend, Harry?" inquired Remus conversationally as they were paying for their books. Harry looked as though he had not thought about that, and smiled slightly.

"…I think so. She loves to read, though."

"That's always good."

"But I mean she really loves to read…"

"And you don't?"

"Well…I_ like _to read. She _loves _to read, I can tell. You should hear her just _talk _about the_ bookstore_."

Remus chuckled as they exited the bookstore, into the now dark evening, three-quarter moon shinning brilliantly, stars glistening, re-crossed the parking lot and started on their way home.

"Moony… Do you think my Mummy and Daddy are happy with me…?" Harry asked ten minutes later, interrupting their tranquil silence, the bag with his new book, in hand.

"What do you mean? Of course they're happy with you," replied Remus, stopping and turning to Harry, thrown off by such an abrupt question. "Why wouldn't they be?"

"You don't think…you don't think they think it was…my fault?"

Understanding dawned in Remus's eyes as he crouched to Harry's level.

_Has this been tormenting him for a while now?_

"No, Harry, _no_ they don't think that. They could never think that. What happened that night was in no way your fault. Do you understand that? Nothing you did caused what happened, and they would _never _blame you for it. …They loved you dearly."

Harry smiled slightly, eyes shinning, and looked as though an invisible weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Remus smiled softly back, and ruffled Harry's raven-black hair affectionately.

"You alright?"

"Yeah…Thanks, Moony."

It was in this moment, as Remus had just opened his mouth to reply, that Harry got a feeling that he had not experienced in quite some time. But he discerned it for what it was in a heartbeat; he would never have forgotten that all too familiar feeling, that sense of _warning_, but before he could alert his Guardian of it...before he could do anything _at all_, there was a flash, and young Harry James Potter's world went dark….

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**A/N:** Hehe, back to the evil cliffies I've fallen. They draw me in like a moth to the flame. –Grins- Now remember, no assassination attempts, because _then_ you wouldn't have me to write the next chapter of this story. –Smiles Sweetly- I hope you all liked the chapter, though, and if you would, review and tell me what you thought. All your opinions are valued and appreciated. I was somewhat surprised by how many of you actually replied to my question in the last chapter about what Elemental you would be, haha. So, to fulfill my own curiosity, I'm going to ask you a new question. –Grins-

Who's your favorite HP Character? It can be anyone mentioned in the books, but it can only be one person. I know that can sometimes be hard, picking between your top two, but that is how it must be.

I'll try and not take 'too' long in posting the next chapter, but remember, reviews are great motivators. –Grins-

Until next time…

-Chloe

A.K.A – Japanime1


	26. MindTalk

**Disclaimer:** No, nope, and noey. I own zilch of anything J.K's. Everything else that is not J.K's in any way shape or form? I own. –Smiles-

**Chapter Summary:** The Darkness lets up...but for how long?

**A/N:** Aww, I love you guys! So many of you reviewed for that last chapter! Thanks! –Smiles- I know I had you all wait longer than I had initially planned to make you wait, (for which I apologize profusely) but school had me loaded with five major grade projects that I had hardly anytime to get complete. –Sighs- It was horrible. But here I am now, finally updating! –Grins- Hope you all enjoy and review to tell me what you thought. I love reading what you all have to say! Happy reading!

(P.S. - I had really wanted to answer all your reviews for the past chapter, but I truly didn't have _any_ extra time on my hands. I'll make sure to answer those to this chapter, though. -Smiles Softly-)

Chapter 26: MindTalk

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Groaning slightly as he rolled over onto his stomach, head gradually clearing from the absolute darkness that had so abruptly consumed it, Harry's eyes fluttered open, his cheek resting against the stone coldness that was the floor. Even though his body felt like lead, and his head felt cloudy to the point that he was barely able to think coherently, the young Potter did not fail to notice - albeit confusedly - his surroundings from where he lay. He was in some kind of cell, in a chamber that was dark. Not the absolute fear-gripping darkness that his mind had been trapped in, but a normal darkness that took Harry's eyes a few good seconds to become accustomed to. A small sliver of light escaped from beneath the chamber door, a good ten feet away, but that was it.

The long chamber he occupied was made of gray stone all around, no windows, and there seemed to be more cells in the chamber other than his. If these were occupied with people as well, Harry knew not, for that end of the chamber was thrown away into complete obscurity.

Groaning again, feeling as though he had been _flung_ into this place, Harry pushed himself up on wobbly arms, tried to stand up, failed -for his legs proved to be more wobbly than his arms had been - and resigned himself to a better-than-not sitting position...all the while willing his head to clear so that he could think properly again. Shaking his head once, his mind feeling less pushed on from all sides, Harry took a better look at the environment he was currently in.

His eyes widened slightly. _Why was he here? _Was the first question to enter his head. _Where was Moony? Where was Padfoot? _Were the second. _What had_ happened…

The first and second questions Harry could find no answer to, but the third he was determined to figure out, and in so doing, figure out the other two.

He vaguely remembered what had happened, it played slowly for him in his mind. Slowly, because his mind was not completely free of the darkness that had so tightly held it, and trying to bring the jumbled memories into proper context was a hard and slow progression.

What he _was_ able to extract and remember of the evening's - _was it still the same night… was it even night at all? Who could tell? _- events, fell into place after a full five minutes of working them out. He believed he had been…and Moony…had they been at a store?

_Yeah…_ Harry thought gradually. _A bookstore…and Hermy-own, no…Hermione, that was her name, Hermione, she was there…and…she showed me…and…_

Harry's green eyes scanned his cell, knowing he would find nothing, but half expecting to find the bag with his new book inside, with him anyway. The young boy's eyes saddened for a moment, - He had lost it! After his new odd friend had picked it out for him, and everything! - before he forced himself to return to the matter at hand.

_Then…then…_then _what happened?_ Harry inquired of himself forcefully, annoyed that he was unable to recollect a thing. He tried to remember for a few more seconds, got nothing, and sighed despairingly. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, let it out, and opened them, his mind losing the rest of it's dark haze in the process.

_We…we, erm…did we…yeah, we did! We started to go home after we bought the books! And Padfoot…Padfoot didn't go with us, he doesn't like the bookstore too much…it was just me and Moony, and…I asked…and…he said…_ Harry smiled softly at the memory that he now had full access to. But in so doing, in remembering, he remembered what else had happened…what he had _felt_ was going to happen, what he had tried to warn Moony of. What…what…

The six year old stood up abruptly, - oblivious to the fact that he actually _could_ now, that his legs were no longer wobbly, and that his body no longer felt like it had been turned to lead - and took a tentative step forward, true fear gripping his insides for the first time since he had awoken - the fullness of _where_ he was, and his situation, had finally hit him with a rude awakening-like force. He had sensed it on that sidewalk, he had sensed the people, the _wizards_, for they had certainly not been muggles, he had _known_ that much - How he knew? He knew not… - , a lot of them, too many of them for just Moony, anyway, and the feeling he got from them had been far from the amiable lighthearted one that he always got from the likes of Dumbledore and Hagrid…

Harry's eyes started to prickle with forming tears. He had been hit with something, a spell, he believed, and had awoken here, but what of Moony? What had happened to him? Where was he? Was he _safe_? With these questions burning in Harry's young mind, he began to cry.

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"My Death Eaters, the time is nigh," hissed Voldemort from the middle of the circle his followers had formed around him, gazing around at them. "Five years…_five_ years have I waited for this. Too long for my patience, as some of you have experienced all too well…" His cold gaze briefly shifted in the direction of his Inner Circle before continuing. "…It has been five years since that night in Godric's Hollow, five years since I lost my previous power and body…thanks to none other than _Harry Potter_, and have had to survive by possessing animals and humans alike…" The Dark Lord, occupying the body of another, paced menacingly around his circle, stopping occasionally in front of choice Death Eaters. "But I have him now…the boy thought to be my downfall will be my resurrection…the young boy, who properly molded, could prove to be a greater advantage than ever imagined, to what we strive for."

Voldemort paused here, in both talking, and pacing, as though daring someone to speak up, to say something _against _his pronouncement. None did…they knew better, and that gave him a cruel satisfaction. He turned to his right, to face the person with whom he had inadvertently stopped in front of.

"_Serpent_…" Voldemort's lips curled into a cold smile that would have sent a shiver down anyone's spine, his ruby red eyes falling upon his right hand Death Eater. Right hand though he may be, he was also the one who always ended up giving the Dark Lord the most trouble in some way or another. It was thanks to Serpent's retched _Gryffindor-ish _personality. Though, what one was born with could not be helped. Voldemort, more than anyone, could understand that, and Serpent _was_ a key asset to his cause…but that did not prevent him from being on the receiving end of well-deserved Crucio's from time-to-time when he decided to cross the line.

Serpent was not this young man's true name, though, for those people who had yet to deduce so. No, 'Serpent' was the pseudonym he had been given when he had joined Voldemort's circle of Death Eaters. For what normal Death Eater, outside the Inner Circle - who had been informed of who he was, and why he, _being_ who he is, was granted entry unto their ranks - , would want to work alongside a _Potter_. "…any problems with the Werewolf?"

"None, My Lord, as had been expected after pinpointing their location given off by the brief magical signature from the boy. My smithed Darkness Spell worked just as effectively on him as it did on Potter, if not more so," came Xantos's swift, yet impassive, reply from beneath his white Death Eater's mask. Voldemort nodded curtly before moving on to the next person in the circle.

"Wormtail, you have the cauldron and ingredients gathered and ready, do you not?" inquired Voldemort quietly, dangerously.

"Y-y-yes! My Lord, y-yes, r-ready and w-waiting," squeaked Pettigrew fearfully. Voldemort nodded in response, knowing he was not to receive any other answer if Pettigrew wanted to get through the rest of the night unscathed, before returning to the center of the circle. He glanced slowly around at them once more, deliberately look at all of them in the eyes with his fierce ruby red ones.

"The time is nigh…Nott, Avery…bring Potter," said Voldemort softly, eyes gleaming maliciously. "…Serpent, Lucius, bring the werewolf…"

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_-15 Minutes Before-_

Six year old Draco Malfoy tentatively opened his bedroom door and stuck his head out into the hallway, looking both ways to make sure the coast was clear. It was. Heaving a sigh of relief, regaining his bearings, he opened the door the rest of the way and stepped out. His father always told him that he was to stay in his room when he had _meetings _in their house, and Draco generally did. All the things he was able to pick up from them were not pleasant and he preferred to tune out the thoughts he received. Did his father _know _about Draco's little ability to pick up on their thoughts during these meetings? No. Draco knew better than to tell him, he would be in a lot of trouble then, he was positive. It had taken the young Malfoy heir some time to accept the fact that his father was not the greatest person in the world, contrary to Draco's former popular belief. His father did things that hurt other people, and so did his father's friends. It was only recently that Draco realized he actually _had_ this ability, and today he picked up on something new…not the thoughts of those in his father's 'meeting' but the thoughts of someone younger. Around his age, Draco believed. No one his age had been allowed to enter his house before, and this awoke the blonde's normally subdued curiosity and desire to investigate.

Creeping as quietly and as softly as could be down the hallway, he passed numerous unoccupied rooms that made up the five-floored house - or mansion if you wanted to get technical about it, but Draco was not at the age to be so - , before reaching the staircase that led down to the next floors. He padded down these steps cautiously, passing the other three floors as he continued on his way down, knowing that the person he was looking for was in the basement. The thoughts he picked up from the boy, he was sure it was a boy because the voice of the thoughts were not a girl's voice, were becoming stronger with every step he took. He could pick up other people's thoughts better when he was nearer to them, he had figured out shortly after realizing his ability, and now he believed the boy was crying. He was close enough, he suspected, to be able to project his thoughts back…which he decided he would try and do.

_…Hey…are you okay?_ Draco asked, not used to asking such questions.

The thoughts the silver-grey eyed boy had previously been hearing, mostly centered on someone named Moony, stopped abruptly…out of pure shock…

_W-w-what…?_

_I said, "Are you okay?" _Draco thought back, a little slower this time.

_H-how are you d-doing that?_

_Doing_ 'what'_?_

_T-That! How can you talk to me…in my head…?_

_Oh, that…I don't know, I've been able to do it for a while now…_

_…Am I talking to you in _'your' _head?_

_Erm, kinda. You're not really _'talking' _to me…I'm just hearing what you're thinking…_

_…Oh. Am I…hearing what_ 'you're'_ thinking?_

_Huh-uh, _Draco thought back, shaking his head 'no' as if the other person could actually see him...which was not so._ No, you're hearing what I'm thinking _'to' _you, what I'm thinking to_ 'me' _you can't hear._

_…How?_

_Dunno, It doesn't really matter, though. But…why were you crying?_

_…I…I don't…know where I am, and it's dark…and I don't know where Moony is…_

_…That's a weird name…_ Draco interrupted dryly, without thinking, before Harry could finish.

The raven-haired boy, who was now one floor down from where the blonde-haired boy was, had a sudden, and fierce, feeling of Dejá Vu.

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_-Flashback-_

"Padfoot? What kind of name is that?"

"A good one!"

"You probably got a weird name too, huh?"

"Padfoot is not a weird name!

"Yeah it is!"

"Stop saying that," replied Harry, angrily.

"Well, at least I have a real wizard's name, Draco Malfoy," the blonde boy said sneeringly.

"Sounds like a circus clown's name," Harry retorted, grinning at his own comeback.

-End Flashback-

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_You're that boy from Diagon Alley!_

_What are you on about? _Draco thought back, confused.

_You! You're that boy who made fun of Padfoot's name!_

It took Draco a few seconds to recollect ever doing what the other boy was accusing him of.

_You're that boy who didn't think brooms were for flying? _inquired Draco uncertainly.

_…Yeah, but I don't think that way anymore, I have my own broom, now, and Padfoot taught me how to fly it._

_Oh… - /at least he doesn't think like a muggle anymore…_Draco thought to himself_/ - is Padfoot _'really'_ his name because…_

_No, it's Sirius._

_See, that's a normal name, why don't you call him that?_

_Dunno…I've always called him Padfoot. It's his nickname. He likes it._

_…Oh. Hey…you're the boy who said my name sounded like a clown's name!_

_Oh yeah! …Sorry about that, I just…_

_You were mad because of what I said about 'Padfoot.'_

_…Uh-huh…_

_It's okay…I guess. Say, what was your name again?_

_…Harry…Harry Potter._

Draco stopped dead in his tracks. He had heard about Harry Potter before, and his father had confirmed the stories about him. Harry Potter was famous. Harry Potter was The-Boy-Who-Lived, the boy who, as a baby, had defeated You-Know-Who…and he was in _his_, 'Draco's', _house_…

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**A/N:** Yay, another chapter down, and a good bit revealed. I hope you all enjoyed the read! In case you haven't guessed, Draco is the Earth & Water Elemental ("Yay!" if you guessed right. -Grins-), though he doesn't know it yet. He is coming into his powers later than Harry came into his (Mostly because he grew up in a life that wasn't perfect, but that sure as hell was not _Harry's_ life. If you get my meaning…) , and he has yet to realize fully that the elements of Earth & Water are under his control...he doesn't use them often, thanks to worrying about what his parents might think. So far he only really uses his power of 'Telepathy', which is a sub-power of Water. 'Empathy', _Harry's_ ability, on the other hand, is a sub-power of Fire, and Harry's 'Sensing' ability is a sub-power of Air. Draco's sub-power of Earth has yet to be revealed, as can be seen.

Anywho, hope that cleared up confusion for those of you who had any with this chapter. –Smiles- And for those of you, if there are any, who are worried that the Hogwarts years won't have the Harry-Draco rivalry…no worries! Harry and Draco are not only opposites in personality (as shows the books) but they are also opposites in Elements, which means they can have their moments of peace and/or times of friendship/alliances between them (in this story, anyway), but they'll always have that bit of hot-headedness towards each other. –Sighs-

Anyway, that's about it for now, and I'll try and make sure to update faster than I did this time around. You've got to pester me, people! Till the next time we meet…

-Chloe

A.K.A – Japanime1

P.S. Lol, I loved finding out all your favorite characters. Some of them made me smile widely. Sooo, for this chapter, I'm going to have a new curiosity-fulfilling question. Ready?

"Out of all the Books, which is your number one favorite?"

For me, it's book three. For two reasons, mostly. 1) Sirius is introduced! –Squeals- 2) Remus is introduced, and gets to be the DADA teacher! -Squeals again- Haha, just thought you'd like to know 'my' personal answer to the question I was posing to you. –Smiles-


	27. Decisions That We Make

**Disclaimer: **No, nope, and noey. I own zilch of anything J.K's. Everything else that is not J.K's in any way shape or form? I own. –Smiles-

**Chapter Summary: **Decisions are made by different people, in different areas...

**A/N:** Hey guys! –Smiles- I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Mine was pretty good. Now, I know I didn't post as fast as you all would've liked, but we had a big storm hit here and my computer got fried. –Groans- I lost a lot (but not all, because _I_ save my info on disks, unlike a friend of mine…, but I'm back and ready with this chapter. Hope you all enjoy and review to tell me what you think. –Smiles- Again, thanks to all those of you who have reviewed! I have over 800 now! –Is Happy- I really appreciate the support you've all given me. Anywho, as my 'signed-in' reviewers might have noticed, I sent replies to each and every one of their wondrous reviews. (Which I will do for them from now on.) I love that new feature! It's so much fun. –Grins- For those of you who review anonymously, please sign-up and get a screen name so that I can reply to your reviews personally as well! If you'd prefer not to, though, that's okies. To each his own, as I always say, and I'll still reply to those anonymous reviews in my profile. (Like before.)

**A/N-2:** This chapter is dedicated to my faithful reviewer Cooroo! –Smiles- (Thanks to Cooroo, you all got this chapter today instead of tomorrow.) Cooroo went back and re-read & re-reviewed chapters 1-16! Luv ya, Cooroo, you truly made my week! –Grins-

Anyway, with that now done, on with the chapter, no?

Chapter 27: Decisions That We Make

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Harry had tried multiple ways to get out of his cell, he had even resorted to using many different attempts with fire and wind, but neither had worked. It had hit him, after he realized that his wind would only circle around and around his cell, and not exit it, that whoever had put him in here had made it to where he could not get from the inside, to the outside. To prove this theory to himself, - and to settle his curiosity - he decided to try and 'touch' his cell bars. His hand had not reached five inches away from them before electricity rippled and crackled threateningly around the bars in question. This was warning enough for the young Potter and he quickly drew back his hand, sighing defeatedly. What was he going to_ do_?

Currently, the untidy haired child sat in his cell, knees pulled up to his chin with his arms wrapped around them, hands clasped. He was more than troubled and worried by the fact that he was unable sense Moony anywhere. He had been with his Guardians long enough to have memorized their emotional signatures, he knew them by heart and could pick Padfoot or Moony out from a mile away. But no. Moony was either in an unsensable place, the Potter heir deduced, - or his cell also blocked _that_ particular power of his from penetrating the bars as well… - or…he didn't really want to think about what the other would mean.

_Are you still there…?_ thought Harry, uncertainly; it had been a few minutes since Draco had thought to him and he hoped their odd mind connection was still there because now that he had found a form of company, he did not want to lose it, especially now. He waited a beat, then another, but got nothing. _…Draco? _he tried again.

_People are coming…_ came Draco's abrupt reply to Harry, it was nothing above a whisper in Harry's mind, but he heard it well enough. And was glad for it. Draco was still there - he had not left.

_You can hear _'their'_ thoughts, too?_

_Yeah._

_…Are they close?_

_About…erm…_'maybe'_ three minutes with the way they decided to come…_

_How do you_ 'know'_ that?_

_I just do! But from what I'm hearing, though, they aren't coming for anything goo- _Draco stopped mid sentence, as though listening, before saying, suddenly,

_You're not safe here._

_…W-what do you mean?_

_It doesn't matter what I mean! 'You Are Not Safe', and I'm…I'm…_ Draco's voice, in Harry's mind, seemed to hesitate, as though unsure about finishing his sentence. A second's hesitance that made Harry wish he could hear _'Draco's' _thoughts instead of the other way around. But it did not last more than that, a second, before Draco plowed on, albeit recklessly, a hint of defiance in his tone.

_I'm going to help get you out._

To say the least, Harry was taken aback by this pronouncement. Sure, he and Draco were talking civilly - which in and of itself was beyond Harry's ability to comprehend, for Padfoot had specifically told him that the Malfoy's were a family of renowned dark wizards who more often than not became Death Eaters - , but it was not like they were 'friends'…were they? No, Draco had his father's view of things; Harry was almost sure, but…then…then…

_…Why?_

Draco's end was silent for a few seconds before responding, crossly, with,

_Do you really want to ask someone who is going to help you out of a tight spot "why they are going to help you?"_

_Well, I suppose…erm,-_

_Just shut up, okay? You're thinking too loud, anyway, and I've got to reach these keys._

_How do I control how loud I 'think'_ thought Harry, affronted. It had been a thought directed more to himself, though he was not the only one to hear it.

Outside the chamber door Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head just as he was finally able to grab the keys, standing on the very tips of his toes.

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Remus groaned painfully as he finally found enough strength to move himself into a sitting position. His muscles ached horribly from the residue of the Cruciatus Curses; The Unforgivables that had been placed on him before he had been hit with the curse that had clouded his mind over with darkness. The darkness had been clearing up for the past few minutes, ever since he had aroused, truth be told, and, with it, had the residue of the Cruciatus been awaken. But none of this mattered a drop to Remus. No, he could live with the pain. He was a werewolf, after all, and had gone through his share of pain in life. No, that _was not_ what mattered to him. What mattered to him was Harry. Where was he now? Was he okay? What had the Death Eaters done to him? Worse, what had _Voldemort _done to him? These thoughts ran circles in his mind as he recalled what had happened before he had been hit with that odd mind-clouding-darkness curse…

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_-Flashback-_

_"Moony…do you think my Mummy and Daddy are happy with me…?" Harry asked, interrupting their tranquil silence, the bag with his new book, in hand._

_"What do you mean? Of course they're happy with you," replied Remus, stopping and turning to Harry, thrown off by such a question. "Why wouldn't they be?"_

_"You don't think…you don't think they think it was…my fault?"_

_Understanding dawned in Remus's eyes as he crouched to Harry's level._

Has this been tormenting him for a while now?

_"No, Harry, no they don't think that. They could never think that. What happened that night was in no way your fault. Do you understand that? Nothing you did caused what happened, and they would never blame you for it. …They loved you dearly."_

_Harry smiled slightly, eyes shinning, and looked as though an invisible weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Remus smiled softly back and ruffled Harry's raven-black hair affectionately._

_"You all right?"_

_"Yeah…Thanks, Moony."_

_Remus opened his mouth to reply, but stopped. Harry's eyebrows creased and his eyes glazed over as though in a far away look. But the Lupin did not have time to muse on it for the young boy's emerald eyes abruptly lost their glaze, becoming as expressive as always. Though this time…it was fear they were expressing, something Remus had not seen in Harry's lively green orbs for quite some time. …And it scared him._

_Movement in the trees beyond caught Remus' eye, and right when things fell into place, when the lycanthrope _understood what must be going on_, there was a bluish colored flash…and Harry fell._

_"No!"_

_Remus whipped out his wand, knowing if he did not do what he was about to do, now, he might not get a second chance to do it. A silvery creature darted out of his wand and streaked through the trees opposite those the flash had come from, in the direction of their house - Remus hoping beyond hope that Sirius was now there - , like some ghostly wolf._

_"Expelliarmus, Crucio!"_

_The twenty-six year old's wand flew from his hand as his screams filled the night air, the Lupin falling, writhing and twitching on the ground. The curse was left on a good two minutes before it was finally lifted, leaving a panting and sweating Remus on the ground. His world spun for a few seconds as he heard the footsteps, and chuckles, of approaching Death Eaters._

_"_That _was a stupid move, Lupin," sneered a voice, from his right, that Remus recognized from years before._

Xantos… _Remus thought, not able to understand how the man he had considered a friend for such a long time could be committing the acts he was committing now. _Working_ for who he was working for._

_"You could've gone Crucio-free tonight had you played your cards right."_

_"Is that so? I had thought it a rather smart move, actually," panted Remus matter-of-factly from where he lay. He could practically 'see' the scowl that formed behind Xantos's Death Eater mask, as he, himself, tried to get back up._

_"Crucio!"_

_Remus was struck, for a second time, by the torture curse, his screams once again filling the night air. The curse was lifted sooner, this time, though it did not feel that way to Remus._

_"Pick them up," Xantos ordered coldly to the surrounding Death Eaters. "We've lingered longer than was needed, and the Dark Lord isn't likely to be pleased as things stand if we're not back soon. His patience is wearing thin…"_

_Death Eaters, grabbing his arms forcefully, lifted the Lupin roughly from the ground, making him face Xantos. He looked around quickly as other Death Eaters began dissapparating; One of them with an unconscious, limp, Harry in his arms. Worry clouded Remus amber eyes as he watched this._

How did I let this happen? How did I let them find us? _It was then that the memory of Harry doing Elemental magic outside the wards of their house came to him, to make the Lupin move faster. _Of course…how could I be so thick? Harry…I'm so sorry…I'll get you out of this…I swear it.

_These were Remus' last thoughts before the wordless curse that had been used on Harry was used on him, and, with a flash, his world, too, went dark…_

_-End Flash Back-_

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The door to Remus' chamber burst open, the torch light from the hallway beyond flooding in, a silhouette of a person standing in the doorway.

"Lupin! Just the man I wanted to see, convenient how you're so close by, now, eh?" said Xantos, grinning easily, as he approached. Remus rose to his feet, suppressing a groan of pain as he did so, and walked to the front of his cell.

"Where is he?" he demanded, ignoring Xantos's previous statement.

"Who?" Xantos inquired, an innocent smile on his face. "Lucius? Oh, yeah, he was supposed to come with me, but I told him I could come and get you on my own," he shrugged. "How was my Darkness spell, by the way? I worked forever on perfecting that one. It's one of my favorites."

"Where is Harry, Xantos? Don't play daft; I know you didn't come here to just waste time. What have you done with him?"

"Ah, _him_…" sighed Xantos, in a drawn out way. "He's…around. And it's not really what we've done to him, or even what we're going to do to him, if you want the _precise _truth. It's what he's going to do for _us_."

"He won't do_ anything_ for you," Remus said in a low tone, restraining himself from bursting with the anger that was slowly rising to the surface. "And you _know_ he won't."

"Alas, on this, I sadly agree with you. But that's what you're still here for. Or did you think we'd let you live for the heck of it? No, my friend, you are the insurance card. The one who is going to end up making sure that Harry _does_ do what we want," Xantos grinned again.

"You know what I'd love to see, Xantos?" inquired Remus, anger finally bubbling over - How _far_ had Xantos fallen? How wrong had James been? - , getting the better of him. "What _James_ would think of you _now_, were he alive."

Xantos appeared as if he had been slapped, his grin fading from his face instantly, looking at Remus as though he had never seen anything like him before. Remus closed his eyes, took a deep breath, trying his best to gain better control over himself, released it, and re-opened his eyes.

"You cared for James as much as Sirius and I did, I _know_ you did! Harry is his _son_, Xantos, the only thing any of us have _left_ of him. Look at what you're _doing_!"

Something flickered across the Potter's eyes, before he scoffed and shook his head once, down-casting his gaze for a few beats.

"…Don't talk about things that you don't understand, Lupin," Xantos whispered softly, dangerously, before shifting his gaze back to his former school friend. Icy hazel meeting searching amber.

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Luck had been with Remus when he had sent his Patronus, the Order of the Phoenix's way of telling other members that they were needed, for Sirius _had_ been home. He had been concerned, already, about his Godson and best friend, thanks to the hour. But when he saw Remus' wolf Patronus, it had changed any concern he had over his friend turning his young and yet moldable Charge into a bookworm, into actual worry. He _wanted_ to believe that nothing was wrong, that Remus was pulling his leg or something, but knew better than to think so. Remus had a sense of humor, yes. Sirius, more than anyone else knew that, but he did not have a cruel sense of humor, and would never send his Patronus if there was not a true reason, a true problem, a true…

_Harry…_ Was the first anxious thing to pop into Sirius' head. _Something happened to Harry, he wouldn't send it any other way..._

And with that mind numbing thought, Sirius did the first thing that came to his mind, he apparated to the bookstore. To his benefit, there was no muggles around to see his arrival; to his alarm, the bookstore was now closed, and Remus and Harry were no where in sight. The dread in him grew with every growing second. He would never forgive himself if something happened to them. He apparated again and again, everywhere he could think of, before finding the bags of Remus and Harry's new books, and finally realizing…he was too late.

_I've got to get Dumbledore…_ This was the first person he knew he needed to talk with. Dumbledore would call the Order together straight away. And then he knew he needed to talk with…

He did not want to do it, this person was the _last _person he wanted to converse with, but this was his…_family_…and he knew this person would know details and locations if it was, indeed, Voldemort, who was the behind all this, one of the very few profits the Order had with him - in Sirius's opinion, anyway. And with that, the twenty-six year old Black apparated to Hogsmeade. Daylight would not come with his Godson and best friend not by his side again, he swore this to himself…and to them.

_I'm so sorry I wasn't there…_

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The trepidation Harry had been feeling ever since he had initially awoken let up some as he heard the clash of metal on metal, as the key was inserted into the keyhole and was turned. He stood up as the door opened, and the light from a torch on the wall outside the door flooded the chamber. It was not a 'bright' light, per se, but it was enough to make Harry, who had been in the darkness long enough to remember his old cupboard more than he would have wanted to, squint to be able to see. A brief shadow cast into the room as Draco came to the doorway, spotting Harry's cell right away and preceding into the chamber.

"Draco!" Harry whispered, feeling a burst of gratitude, - for a moment, before he had seen Draco, he had not been sure if the Malfoy heir had been truly planning on helping him or if he had not meant it - , using his voice for the first time in what felt like forever, before coughing a few times. Draco stopped in front of Harry, the cell between them; the keys he had used to get in, dangling in his left hand...he looked uneasy, though he hid it moderately well.

"Shh, we've gotta get out of here quick, they're really close," Draco whispered back, reaching for the lock that was on Harry's cell door.

"Wait, don't!"

"What, why?"

"I tried to touch it earlier, it'll shock you."

Draco smirked and shook his head before grabbing hold of the lock with his right hand, and picking a key with his left. Harry gaped at Draco. Not believing his eyes.

"W-why didn't it…?"

"Not really sure. The cells shock anyone who doesn't know the counter-spell for them, but I've been able to touch them with no problem ever since I was old enough to sneak down here."

The Malfoy heir, who was taller than the Potter by about a good inch, and who had the same platinum blonde hair that Harry remembered, turned the key in the lock. There was a soft click, and Harry's cell door swung open…

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**A/N:** Well there's the next chapter, hope you all enjoyed the read. –Smiles- Another cliffie-ish ending (not 'really' though!), I know. I don't know why I keep ending the chapters in cliffie-ish endings…but I seem to be making a habit…I better try to break myself of it for the next chapter. Well…we'll see… Anywho, how many of you saw GoF, hmm? I went to the midnight premier and it was a wicked awesome movie. Definitely the best Harry Potter movie so far. Yes, it didn't have 'everything' from Book 4, but no movie ever has everything that is in its book, so we've all got to learn to deal. But besides all that, the movie was done extremely well, and I hope Mike Newell comes back for OotP. Voldemort was wondrously evil, they picked a great actor for him, and the Moaning Myrtle scene was one of my favorites. Haha. Anyway, enough about The Goblet of Fire, and on to other things, right? Like my 'Curiosity Fulfiller' question of the last chapter! PoA seems to have won favorite book. Many of you liked it best, as do I, and many of you for the same reasons. –Grins- GoF came in second, with OotP & HBP tying for third, SS for fourth, and CoS for fifth (it's last, but it's certainly not least, mind you).

This chapter's 'Curiosity Fulfiller' (as I have so officially dubbed it) question is…

"Who's your favorite Death Eater?"

Now, if Fenrir Greyback was a Death Eater, he'd most certainly be my favorite. Sadly, though, the book never specifies on whether he's a Death Eater, or just a werewolf ally of Voldemort who leads the other werewolf allies of Voldemort. Sooo, since I can't legitimately pick him –pouts-, my choice of Favorite "Death Eater" (not just 'ally') is Antonin Dolohov. Why? He won my appreciation of him when he did the wordless (purple) spell in OotP that hit Hermione and broke some of her ribs. It's not that I was happy he hit Hermione (because I wasn't, Hermione is one of my favorite characters!) it was just because it was a pretty cool spell in my opinion. So, he has won place with me as my favorite Death Eater. The reason he has yet to enter my story, one may ask, is because, well, he's currently in Azkaban...-Sighs-…

Anyway, this is it for now; I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as I can. My Christmas break is in two weeks, and I'll be able to write more during that time, but I'll do my best to get a chapter out before then as well. Till next time, my readers…

-Chloe

A.K.A – Japanime1


	28. Teamwork and Rescuing Part 1

**Disclaimer:** No, nope, and noey. I own zilch of anything J.K's. Everything else that is not J.K's in any way shape or form? I own. –Smiles-

**Chapter Summary:** Harry and Draco put into use the value of teamwork, and Sirius speaks with someone he has not seen for years...

**A/N:** First off, I must apologize profusely for the tortuously long wait for this chapter. No excuse is good enough, trust me I know what it feels like to wait so long for an update (I waited almost a whole year once before a story I was reading updated finally –groans- I wanted to strangle the author), but I have been studying big time for my mid-terms, and it's been like crazy here. Thus, my time to get on the computer was greatly limited. So, what I began to do was write on notebook paper during my classes. (When I 'wasn't' studying like I was mental) A little here, a little there, and then…I lost my notebook. I wanted to cry, literally… -Sniffles in remembrance- I couldn't find it _anywhere_, until a few weeks later it turns out my best friend Soren had it, to read it, and had completely forgotten about it! To say the least I was really mad at him. But –takes a deep calming breath- I've forgiven him, and I hope you all do too, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter that you (and I!) have waited so long to see posted. –Smiles-

Anywho, off that subject, and on to the next chapter, eh?

Chapter 28: Teamwork and Rescuing - Part 1

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Harry fell to his knees with a cry of pain, hands jumping to the back of his head as if he had been whacked hard there. The second he had stepped one foot out of his cell, his Empathy seemed to begin to work in overdrive of its own accord. Finally doing what he had wanted it to do for him earlier, but in an excessiveness that was more overpowering to the young boy than the worst pounding migraine.

"Harry! ...What's wrong?" asked Draco, filled with bewilderment, as to why this was happening, in his voice, though a small bit of concern slipped in as well.

The Malfoy heir's voice was a drone in Harry's ears; he could hardly make out the other boy's words at all. His mind felt like it was going to explode from it all. Happiness, bitterness, anger, worry, annoyance, longing, anxiousness, hatred, dread, greed, jealousy, uncertainness, disappointment, frustration, giddiness, fury, resentment, fear, and pain. It was all pounding on him like it was a hammer and he was the nail.

"Make it...stop..." Harry uttered out with difficulty.

"What is it? What's doing it?" Draco inquired, not understanding what it was he _could_ do, if it was in fact that he could do anything. He received no reply from the raven-haired boy in front of him, just a soft whimper of pain, as if he were trying to hold it in. Draco shook his blonde fringe out his eyes, and closed them, concentrating solely on Harry's mind and thoughts. Something he had never done before, for when he normally allowed his mind to be completely receptive to the thoughts around him, it was thoughts of everyone and not just a sole person. But, he figured, if there was a way to help Harry, he was going to have to concentrate just on that. The silvery-grey eyed child was bombarded with fragments of what the Potter heir was feeling, it all washing over his mind like a flood. And to a person who has never had to deal with feeling what the messy raven haired boy was able to feel off others…it was enough to make the the young blonde stagger back a few steps.

_He has a power like mine, but different; he knows what other people are feeling!_ Draco thought momentarily, amazed, before delving back into the torrent of overloading emotions that was Harry's mind.

_Harry! Harry, can you hear me? _Draco called out mentally.

_…Make it stop…_ Harry's mind seemed to whisper back, the voice small compared to the whirringness of the emotions.

_Harry, concentrate on my voice, okay? You kinda have a power like mine, so…that means…you can turn it off. I'm sure you can._

_Turn it…off? I only know how to…turn it down…it's not working…it's too much…_

_It's too much because you're letting it be too much; you've got to close it, to turn it off. I know you can…because I can do mine just fine._

_I'm trying to make it smaller, but it isn't working…_

_Don't make it smaller. Close it._

_…How?_

_Picture it, as hard as you can, as a door, a big door…and shut it._

Harry did as Draco said, picturing a big door in his mind, a door that was wide open and allowing all the emotions to flow into his mind. Rushing forward, in his mind's eye, Harry grabbed the newly formed door and pulled…

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It had been years since he had seen him… After all, he had preferred _never _to see him. They were "Family", yes, people could say such. But "Family" was only a word whenever Sirius used to think of it. He is related, sadly - in his book - , by blood to his deceased parents, to his cousins - Oh how he wished they were not 'his'! - Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange, and to his brother Regulus Black. Though…were they all "Family" to him? No. No, they were not. Family meant unconditional love, caring, and trust…all of which were things that his family, most certainly, had never – ever - had for each other, let alone him. No…his 'Family'…the one that _actually_ meant the world to him, was the new family he, Prongslet, and Moony had made with each other. He knew he would do _anything _to protect that…hence the reason he currently stood on the threshold of his brother's hide-away home in Ireland…

Regulus Black was, once, a Death Eater. However, much to Sirius's surprise, as well as many other, Regulus had stood up to the Dark Lord, to Voldemort, and had refused to do something he had been instructed to do. Furious, Voldemort had ordered his Death Eaters to kill him. But, Regulus, always the bright one, had put up quite a fight, and quite a chase, and in the end had used his Slytherin cunning to escape with his life...with a little gold something for his troubles. The Death Eaters, worried about the fury and punishment that was going to be evoked on them - no to mention death, but they did not want to think 'that' far - , informed their Master that Black had been properly, and easily, disposed of. Voldemort had smelt lie in their midst when they told their story, but did not push it, for Regulus had never been seen again, which pleased the Dark Lord. Regulus, however, had run to Dumbledore, who, once informed of Regulus' 'true' story and ordeal, helped him escape to Ireland, where he currently resided. The two had maintained sparse contact ever since. They corresponded about twice a year by owl, unless it was more important matters, and Regulus had proved to be a fountain of information whenever the Order had needed it…provided it was Dumbledore who requested it.

After asking his former Headmaster of Regulus' whereabouts, seeing as how Dumbledore was the Secret Keeper, and insisting that he would do it alone while the Order contemplated and prepared, Sirius left Hogwarts, exited the grounds, and apparated to the location. There, he thought of the address in his mind, watched the house appear, stepped up the walk and steps, stopped at the door, and knocked.

_Hang on just a little longer, Prongslet…I swear I'll get you back…and whoever thought it'd be a bloody good idea to take you away from_ 'me'_ is going to regret ever laying hands on you…_

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_It's…not…working! _Harry thought to Draco with every yank he gave the door. The emotions pouring in more powerful than Harry's force to shut them out.

Now, Draco was always a boy to think quickly on his feet, and make abrupt - and more often than not, smart - decisions during tight situations. It was a Slytherin trait in him; his father would most certainly tell people. The two people coming, Death Eaters, Draco knew, were too close for comfort. He needed to get Harry out of this room, and if he knew what was good for him, himself, - which he did – he would do good to not get caught down here either. Let alone caught_ helping _a_ Potter_. - There would come a time in his life when Draco would question himself on _'why in Merlin's Name!'_ did he try and help Potter in the first place. What had _ever_ possessed him to continue to help the other boy after finding out he was _Harry Potter_? But that time was not now. He knew only one thing at the moment… - He was going to have to do_ something_...

Harry pulled and pulled at the door. Trying his hardest to close it, for if not, he felt like is mind was going to explode from the magnitude of it all. But then something happened that Harry would have never dubbed possible had he not seen it with his own two eyes…another pair of hands grabbed the door with his, and pulled along with him. Turning his head, emerald eyes wide with surprise, Harry saw a semi-transparent Draco standing alongside him somewhere deep in Harry's subconscious. Rolling his eyes, the blond boy snapped,

_Take a picture, it'll last a lot longer, Potter, _bringing the raven-haired boy back to the situation at hand. Nodding his understanding, Harry turned his head back to the door, eyebrows creasing, and pulled. It took a few seconds but the two of them, forces and wills merged, were finally able to get the door to budge from its stationary location. Pulling together, they began to shut the door, the emotional overload on Harry's mind letting up little by little. With a final grunt of effort, the two boys were able to close the door to the point Harry was used too, not completely shut, but closed to a much, 'much' more bearable level. Draco disappeared from Harry's subconscious, and, mind finally at ease, the messy haired Potter opened his eyes, only to be reacquainted with the chamber he had been placed in.

Breathing heavily, he sat down on the floor, and looked across from him where Draco was following suit, breathing heavily as well. Looking at each other as they tried to catch their breaths, wide grins broke out on their young faces. They could not help _but_ grin. In spite of the ordeal they had just gone through, in spite of their situation, something unnoticeable - even to them - had shifted between them. Neither would have been able to answer honestly if someone asked them why they were grinning, for even they did not know. Was it because they had subconsciously realized they had beaten something, together, without grown-up interference? Was it because they had, also subconsciously, without truly agreeing on it, - for there _are_ some things in life that one has no say in. They just happen, things click, with one having little or no control - become the most unlikely of friends? Neither would know the answer for quite some time, but, what they did know, was that some extremely odd connection had been made between the two of them, and that even if they were destined to not see each other again - which was a big probability, the two thought in their young minds - they would, in all likelihood, never forget each other. After all…how often does one's soul, the center of one's magical _power and essence_, meet its counterpart and twin?

Quick steps, a thud, and a yelp, gave the boys a rude awakening to the fact that time flowed consistently and constantly.

"Smooth, Avery," a voice - that Draco knew to be Nott's - chuckled.

_Come on,_ Draco thought to Harry as he jumped up, the raven-haired boy doing the same, groaning mentally at his stupidity of just deciding to take a breather._ Hurry! _Draco dashed past Harry, grabbing the shorter boy's arm as he did so, pulling the young Potter heir behind him as he ran deeper into the chamber, towards the darkest part that Harry had seen while yet in his cell.

_Where are you going? How are we going to get out 'this' way? _Harry thought to Draco, perplexedly, fear slowly beginning to grip at his insides.

_You'll see._

_…I'm sorry, Draco. If we get caught…it's all my fault._

_Stop, okay? Nothing'll be your fault; I'm not going to let us get caught._

The two reached the dead end wall at the other end of the long chamber just as Avery - rubbing his head - and Nott entered the part of the chamber Draco and Harry had been sitting in. The young Malfoy immediately let Harry's arm go, and bent down right next to the wall. It was the kind of darkness that did not allow you to see your hand in front of your face that surrounded the two at this end, but Harry had felt the air move as Draco bent.

_They're going to see us,_ Harry thought, dreadfully, as he looked over in the direction of the door as the two men whipping out their wands.

_They aren't!_

_But…_

_Shh…_

"Lumos!" said the two men in unison, lifting their wands into the air and looking into the different cells. Serpent had said that he had put Potter in one of the first ones, but…

"He's not here!" Avery whispered, half in awe, half in fear.

"Well…don't just stand there!" Nott snarled heatedly. It would be both their lives if Potter was not found…and quickly.

"But, how did he…I mean…he couldn't have—the cells are--!"

"It doesn't matter how he did it, the point is he did do it! And…he couldn't have gotten far…the hall outside is only one direction after this door, we would've seen him… which means…"

"He's in the room."

Nott nodded, a smirk forming on his face, as the two began striding down the chamber, cells on either side of them.

_…Draco…_ Harry murmured uneasily in his mind, wishing that whatever it was the blonde was doing, that he finished it fast.

_Ha! Found it. I knew it was here somewhere_

_D-Draco, t-they're…_

Harry was not able to finish his sentence, fear freezing him, for the light from the wand tips of the two approaching men had landed on him, Draco no where to be seen.

_Get in here! Are you mental? _Draco's voice shouted into Harry's mind. Snapping out of it, Harry, confusedly, turned to where Draco had been, only to see a small hole in the wall barely wide enough to admit someone _his_ size.

Nott swore under his breath, for he had just seen the hole as well, and it was not even a second before curses started to fly.

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"And…erm…Sirius?" Regulus, who was a year younger than the eldest Black offspring, hands stuffed into the pockets of his black jeans, called hesitantly as Sirius opened the door to leave, their conversation now over. Regulus looked remarkably like his older brother, not as much as Harry did James, but close. He even had the same elegant black hair that fell casually into his grey - unlike to Sirius's bluish-grey - eyes.

"What?" asked Sirius, shifting his weight from his right foot to his left as he turned back around, eager to leave.

"I'm…sorry." The younger of the two looked as if he were truly remorseful about something. These were definitely the last words Sirius would have expected to come out of Regulus' mouth. He had always remembered his brother to be so much like their parents…that it had been hard to bear. But, granted, when he had walked through his brother's door earlier he had sensed a difference about him. He had seemed somewhat lighter, as if he no longer had something riding on his shoulders. He had almost seemed… - Sirius hadn't really thought about it till now - happy? to see him…

"…For what?" Sirius's eyes showed puzzlement.

Regulus looked like he would have preferred it if Sirius would have just accepted the apology and continued on his way. But life was never_ that _simple.

"For…not standing up against mum and dad's view, like you did…for not standing up for…you."

Sirius's blueish-grey eyes softened at these heartfelt words. So he had a family member, by blood, after all…

"For…for _accepting_ mum and dad's view, even though I didn't like it, just so they wouldn't treat me like they treated you…for begging the Sorting Hat to put me in Slytherin, when it had wanted me to go into Gryffindor, just so I wouldn't get a Howler like you…for getting you in trouble whenever you sneaked off to James' house…for…for becoming a Death—"

Regulus was cut off by his older brother's strong embrace, something Regulus had rarely experienced, but gladly returned.

"I forgive you," Sirius told his younger brother as he released him, eyes shinning. Regulus smiled a natural smile, something he had not done in years, feeling more relieved than he ever had. He had felt sure Sirius would have never forgiven him. "You're a right git, though, telling all this to me now when I wasn't ready for it!"

"Had to," Regulus grinned. "I might not get a second chance after this. Merlin know what's going to happ—"

"You're a real optimistic one, aren't you?"

"Usually. But, what are you still doing here? Get going! If not, I'll _never _get to meet Harry."

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Spell after spell was pelted in Harry's direction, illuminating the chamber in an eerie, and dangerous, rainbow of colors. Grabbing him by the ankle, Draco was able trip Harry to the ground, causing the young Potter to yelp in surprise, but also causing the spells to miss him by a landslide. New spells began to fly almost immediately, and Draco, wasting no time, grabbed the Potter heir by the wrist, and proceeded to drag him into the small passage.

"No! Stop him!"

Diving forward, Avery grabbed Harry around the ankles, pulling the boy back out. Panicking, Harry did the first thing that came to mind.

With a cry of pain Avery let Harry go and began blowing rapidly on his red hot hands. Before they could try again, Draco pulled Harry all the way in, and pushed a stone, inside the passage, that caused the passage to seal from Nott and Avery's side. The last thing the two heard as they began to crawl through the small passage were Nott's angry swearing, and Avery casting "Aguamenti", breathlessly, on his hands.

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**A/N:** Well, there's chapter twenty-eight. –Grins- I'll make sure to do my best to get the next chapter out a lot fast than it took me to get this one out. (I'll make sure to 'not' let my friends take my fic notebook to their house…and then forget they did) Anywho, hope you all aren't horribly upset that Regulus isn't dead in this story. Even though he isn't that elaborated about in the books (I believe he is R.A.B.!) I can just imagine him in my mind, and I believe he'd be one of my favorite Good/Bad characters. But, anyway, you'll get _everyone_ in the next chapter. –Grins- You know: Harry, Draco, Remus, Xantos (And/Or Serpent), Voldemort, Death Eaters, Order Members, Sirius, wizards of that sort.

Some people have inquired of me whether this story is and/or is going to be slash, soooo, I thought it best to clear it up for _all _of you. This story is in no way a slash one, I just can't see it happening in this one, it'd…dunno, I think it would deviate from the way I have planned out my story. Hope that doesn't upset any of you who were hoping for some. At any rate, moving away from that, onto the next order of business, no?

This chapter's 'Curiosity Fulfiller'! –Smiles-

"Which Marauder…is _the_ _best_ Marauder?" (No picking two! Trust me, even 'I' wanted to…)

My answer: Argh…this is really hard…even for me! The Marauders are my favorite! Hmm…wow…I really hadn't thought it would be this hard to pick…they all have their great qualities! (Excluding Peter here) Erm…hmm…………..fine, fine…-grimaces at having to choose between her favorite three- Alright…I pick…-takes deep breath, and lets it out slowly- …James. Boy…do I feel like I betrayed Sirius and Remus…and it's not even because James is my favorite character that I picked him! (Because he's not, he's one of them, but not 'the' favorite character) It's just…I believe he was actually _the best _Marauder. And that's all I've got to say about it… -Sighs-

Anywho, thanks for putting up with me this far into my story! –Smiles- Your reviews are very much appreciated, and they really make my days. So, if you would, please review. Your opinions mean a lot to me, and I love hearing them!

Till next time…

-Chloe

A.K.A – Japanime1


	29. Teamwork and Rescuing Part 2

**Disclaimer: **I own absotively nothing! I look nothing like J.K. Rowling, and I have no copyright papers in my hand! (or anywhere else) Soooooo…please…no suing…

**Chapter Summary: **Harry refuses to leave without Moony there alongside him...

**A/N:** This chapter is dedicated to Chibi Ame! This reviewer, I don't know…it must have been the fact that the reviewer was scolding me to begin with (well deserved scolding…believe me, I know), using my own words against me and all, and _then_ moving the primary feel of where the review (I felt) was going, to that of really liking my story…to say the least I was taken aback. But the review hit home (haha, it even made me want to hurry up and finish the little bit of my chapter I needed to finish before I was completely satisfied), and I loved it, scolding (well deserved) and all! Anyway, I just felt I needed to get that out of the way, and dedicate the chapter to said reviewer. –Smiles-

**A/N-2: **Part 2 to Part 1! Typed and ready for your reading enjoyment. –Grins- Life's been hectic, and I'm sorry for taking so long to update. Truth be told, I didn't take as long this time as I did last time…but I'm not sure if that's consoling or not…hmm…in any case, the point is that the wait is over. –Smiles- Now, I know I said everyone (mainly Order members, Sirius, Dumbledore, Arthur, people of that kind of category, really) was going to be in this chapter… (I had initially meant for these two chapters to solely be a part 1 part 2 type thing), but (sadly or not sadly, depending on your feelings on it) everyone 'won't' be in this chapter…Well, they _were_ going to be. That had been my original plan. (Making this chapter extra long! –Grins-) But, -sighs-, seeing as how you people aren't _that_ patient, (and trust me, neither am I when it comes reading fanfiction, so I understand all of you who are all "Update PLEASE!") I've decided to break what was going to be my 'long' part 2 into a 'nicely sized' part 2, and to bring you a 'nicely sized' part 3 (which 'will' have everyone I've mentioned above) here soon. Sorry if that disappoints anyone out there, but if I didn't do it this way, you all (thanks to my school, who likes to work me endlessly) would have had to wait longer than you already have. Sooo…in a way…this is a good thing…right? –Looks around hopefully-

Anywho, I hope you all enjoy the chapter as much as I did writing it. Now, after all this (lengthy typing for me, lengthy reading for you) let's just get on with the chapter, shall we? –Smiles-

Chapter 29: Teamwork and Rescuing - Part 2

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Harry and Draco crawled through the passage in silence. It took them a fair amount of minutes, but the two eventually made it to a nicely sized four-way opening. The two boys were not terribly tall for their age - at least, Merlin knew _Harry_ was not… - and were able to stand once they reached the opening. Straight ahead, and to Harry's left and right, were more passages that led to other parts of Malfoy Manor - the one behind them, leading no where but back to the dungeons they had just escaped from.

The young Potter gulped as he gazed around; the adrenaline he had acquired earlier was now beginning to leave him. It was not until he noticed Draco walking to the right corner of the small room that his attention was brought back to the blonde that had now, not only helped him _twice_, but had most certainly just saved his_ life_ back there. The Malfoy heir turned around impassively, leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and slid down, placing his arms on his knees before taking a deep breath and releasing it in a drawn out sigh. Opening his eyes once more, Draco's gaze returned to the gaze that had fallen on him. Silver-grey meeting emerald green, almost calculatingly.

_I wish I knew what he was thinking… _Harry thought, wondering absentmindedly why they had stopped and had not kept on going.

"Don't make wishes like that, Potter, they might come true. I don't _like _hearing people's thoughts; I don't think you'd like it after a while, either…"

Harry was taken off guard, to say the least; he had forgotten Draco could hear his thoughts so loud and clear…talk about embarrassing.

"…Sorry," Harry muttered, sitting down in the corner opposite the blonde, and - copying him - laid his arms on his knees as well.

"You really need to get rid of that _word_," Draco commented dryly. Harry gave the Malfoy a confused looked which merely caused the boy to roll his eyes. "Ugh…forget it, Potter. You're hopeless."

_He's calling me 'Potter' now…I wonder if I did anything to make him mad at me… _Harry thought to himself. Sure, the two had not verbally agreed to be friends, but the messy raven haired boy had been sure they were at least on a first name basis. At least…they _had_ been, anyway.

A silence fell between the two boys as they allowed their minds to wander over the events that had transpired earlier. It was Harry who was the first to break the silence…with a word he felt he needed, and wanted, to say.

"…Thanks."

Draco raised an inquisitive eyebrow at this.

"What for?"

"…For helping me. I don't know why you did it back there…for still doing it now, but…thank you."

_I don't know why I'm doing it, either, _Draco thought to himself. He felt a 'Your Welcome' rise to his lips, but pushed it roughly back, and simply nodded tersely. He was helping, yes, but he_ refused _to become friends. Refused. He could not. His father could punish him for what he was doing 'now' - in Draco's opinion, his father and his friends deserved not to be allowed to kill the 'boy-who-lived'…they hurt too many people. Too many… - , he, Draco, would be okay with that. Punishment for doing that would not bother him that much - no matter how painful it could become… - , but to go so far as becoming friends with _Potter_? To do _that_ to his father? No…he could not allow himself to do that. His father was…his father, after all. There were limits, of course.

"So…erm…where are we?" Harry interrupted Draco's thoughts, curiously.

"…I'm pretty sure we're in between the ceiling of the second floor and floor of the third…" the blond replied after pondering the question for a moment.

"We're…sitting on the ceiling…?"

"Of the second floor…yes, and we're under the third floor's...floor. We're in between."

It took Harry a few seconds of thought before he was able to comprehend this fully, and Draco could not help but smirk.

"You can be slow sometimes…"

"Hey!"

"Well…you _can_ be."

Harry glared at Draco, who merely continued to smirk. How could someone so…similar to him in ways, and somewhat kind at times…be so…_different _in other ways, and mean at times? Sighing, Harry decided it could not really be helped. People were the way they were.

"How do you know so much about this secret place?"

"I explore my house a lot when my dad and mum aren't home."

"You're here alone a lot?"

"Sometimes…but I don't mind."

_Yes, you do, _Harry thought to himself sadly, sensing the emotions Draco liked to keep suppressed. The blonde glared daggers at the green eyed boy, but said nothing. Harry's thoughts betray him to Draco, but Draco's emotions betray him to Harry…it was an odd equilibrium...

_Oops…I'm so dumb…_ Harry reprimanded himself, realizing why it was that Draco was glaring at him. Rolling his eyes, Draco shook his head.

"Anyway…the thing is that those guys from before are too big to fit in here, so we'll be okay for a bit. But…to be safe…we shouldn't stay here long."

Harry nodded at this. Yeah, they _could not _stay long. He had to find Moony…he would not leave unless Moony was with him.

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Torturing the werewolf as he waited for the arrival of his guest of honor had, granted, been entertaining for a bit. Although it was not long before the Dark Lord became annoyed at the prolonged time Avery and Nott were taking. An uncomplicated mission. Retrieve the Potter boy. Not even _remotely _difficult. The boy was in a chamber specifically made to confine his powers, a simple stupefy - if that much! - and it was done. Why _were_ they taking so long?

Serpent, however, the Dark Lord did not fail to notice, seemed as if he were enjoying himself all too entirely as he leaned, at ease, against the wall, with a smug smirk to complete the look… - Which did not help the Dark Lord's annoyance lessen any… - Whether from watching the werewolf's torture being carried out or from the fact that he, too, had noticed the time Avery and Nott were taking, Voldemort was uncertain. Sadly - in Voldemort's opinion - Xantos Potter had become quiet the proficient Occlumens in the time that he had served as a Death Eater, as had Severus Snape... True, there were beneficial uses for Occlumency, but…

It was at that moment that the two magnificent yew wood doors, that led this far into Malfoy Manor, broke open. Revealing the two dolts - as Voldemort tended to call them whenever he thought of them - as they came rushing into the large circular chamber that was ghostly illuminated by the sparse torches around the walls, throwing themselves at the Dark Lord's feet, and kissing the hems of his robes before both burst into immediate explanations. Needless to say, their rueful display did nothing to lighten the Dark Lord's mood - as they had most certainly hoped it would… - rather…it rapidly began to increase his anger.

"I-In t-the chamber it—"

"-and the c-cell i-it—"

"A-And then we w-went to l-look—"

"—and i-it…t-the wall, and w-we—"

In this manner were the two speaking. Stuttering, voices shaking, cutting each other off, not even able to complete one coherent thought.

"Silence!" Voldemort hissed vehemently…and not only did Nott and Avery snap their mouths shut, but the few Death Eaters around the chamber, who had been muttering, fell silent also at hearing the venom in their Master's icy voice.

"_Where_…" the Dark Lord whispered dangerously, eyes flashing dangerously, making the red in them more prominent as they narrowed on the two in front of him. "…is _Potter_?"

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"_Potter_, keep _up_, would you?"

"Where are we going?"

"We're getting _you _out of _my_ house. Where else would we be going?"

Harry stopped abruptly from their crawling through the compact passage, and looked at Draco as the boy continued on oblivious to the fact that his crawling companion had stopping moving.

"That is unless you _wanted_ to stay…I mean, I'm sure no one would be bothered if you did…" the blonde remarked sarcastically. He waited for the raven-haired boy to reply defensively as he continued crawling…none came. He slowly came to a stop, waited a beat…still no reply.

"Potter?" he questioned, as he looked over his shoulder to see Harry, a good fifteen feet behind him, looking at him as if he had just seen him for the first time. "Potter…what's wrong?"

"I've gotta go back…I…I can't leave yet." And as if on command, the emerald eyed boy, worry filling his gaze, turned - albeit difficultly - around and proceeded the way they had come.

"W-Wait! What're you…?" Draco asked, as he also turned around, taken aback by Harry's sudden decision.

"Moony's still here, I can't leave him." Harry answered unwaveringly, not looking back at the surprised blonde.

"I think he'd _want_ you to leave while you could," Draco called after him.

"He might…but I won't. He's done too much for me…to leave him here…Malfoy." Harry's voice was full of conviction, emotion, and the blonde knew no amount of persuasion was going to get the other boy to change his mind. Draco groaned to himself as he began to follow the Potter heir… Greeeeaaaaatttt. This was just going to be bloody brilliant…bloody…_brilliant_…

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"_Where_…is _Potter_?"

These words echoed in Remus' weary mind as he tried to get a grip on himself. He had been Crucio'd so many times…put through so many innumerous hexes…he was surprised he was still in his right mind. He knew most of the things he had been put through would not have happened if he had just agreed to join Voldemort's ranks…heh…but like he would _ever_ do that. Not to Sirius…not to Harry…he would rather die first. Which he had been very close to wishing for…Voldemort was colder and crueler than one could ever imagine…and wanting death only granted you more excruciating life.

But as the Dark Lord's furious words continued to echo in Remus' mind, finally registering as to what they truly meant, he could not stop the grin - that eventually turned into a mix grimace as he fought back the pain that could be felt on every inch of is body - that began to spread across his face from where he lay. He had just previously been levitated and slammed head-first - amid the Death Eater's cackles - into the adjacent wall to Voldemort, and had had the opportunity to unceremoniously slump down it, leaving him in the position he was currently situated in.

"We…we l-lost him…sir…" Avery whispered, fear unmistakably found in his voice.

"He somehow…escaped from his cell, w-we don't know ho—" Nott began, but was abruptly interrupted.

"Impossible," came the condescending voice Remus knew to be Xantos', as the man left his comfortable position against the parallel wall to Remus', stepping a few steps forward. "Potter wouldn't be able to get out of that cell even if he_ 'had'_ a wand. Which, mind you, he does not."

As all attention was turned to Xantos, Remus took the chance to slowly lift himself, using the wall for support, wiping stray blood off the corner of his mouth with his free hand, wincing, his muscles aching horribly. It took all the strength he could muster just to maintain himself upright, but it was essential that he hear _all_ of this correctly.

_…They don't have Harry? …They_ 'lost'_ him? _

"He would have needed to have had outside help, from someone who had a _wand_, and knew the counter spell, to be able to get out of there, lest he or they be electrocuted. And anyone who does know the counter spell, are currently, and have been since the night started, in this very room," Xantos drawled.

"But surely w-with his power—"

"Sealed by the cell," Xantos cut across lazily.

"B-but t-then—"

"Crucio!" Voldemort hissed icily, anger reaching its boiling point, wand pointing coldly at the two Death Eaters before him.

As Nott and Avery's screams filled the chamber, Remus' heart was filled with hope. Harry had - Merlin knew how! - escaped! He had truly gotten out of his cell…he might actually have a chance to get back to Sirius, to get away. Oh, he hoped dearly that Harry had taken his opening to escape…that he had run as far and as fast as he possibly could… away from here…away from…all of this… It was something Harry did not deserve to have to go through.

The screaming continued for what felt like - to the two being submitted to the curse - an eternity, before Voldemort released them from it. Leaving the two sweating and gasping for breath on the ground. The Dark Lord turned unexpectedly around to face Remus, taking the werewolf by surprise.

"_Where_ did he go," the Dark Lord demanded.

"…How should I know? Left, I would suppose," Remus replied, emotionless. Voldemort's eyes flashed in fury as he raised his wand threateningly.

"Heh, _'supposing' _is for fools. I_ know_ he's still here," Xantos said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Like he'd leave _you_, Lupin. He's too much of a Potter for that."

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"I_ really_ don't think that you should go back, Potter. _No one_ can be this important," Draco insisted as he crawled after the raven-haired boy.

"Moony is," Harry replied, unfazed, as they arrived - once more - at the four-way split passage. The two stood, straightening themselves out. Harry took a deep breath released it, and continued purposely forward, toward the other side of the opening, in order to be able to go through 'that' crawling passage, instead of the one he and Draco had just previously been in.

"No..." Draco commanded firmly, grabbing Harry by the shoulder, whipping the shorter boy around to face him.

"What are you doing?" Harry inquired, feeling, for the first time, annoyed at the blonde. Did he not see that they did not exactly have time to be wasting?

"Do you have _any_ idea what you're _doing_? You're going to walk right _'to'_ them! Is Moony someone you're okay with_ dying_ for?" Draco demanded heatedly. Harry's eyes widened slightly, but at what the blonde was saying, or how he was saying it, or both, the Malfoy heir knew not. Harry's gaze fell to the floor, hands by his sides, slowly forming into fists. Draco removed his hand from Harry's shoulder, knowing the answer before the boy spoke it, as the Potter heir raised his head, determined emerald eyes meeting pensive silver-grey.

"Yes."

Draco sighed. This was not going to end well; he_ knew _it was not going to end well. Because if Potter went, that meant he, Draco, had to go, because he could not find it in him to abandon the emerald eyed boy this far into the game, and _that_ meant that not only could _Potter_ be caught, but _he_, Draco, could very easily be caught as well! Was Potter not…was he not…

"…Aren't you _scared_?"

Harry felt like lying and saying that he was not, that he was completely ready for what might come, but lying to Draco would be like saying the truth either way, seeing as how the blonde could hear his thoughts…so why bother?

"I _am_ scared. I'm _really_ scared. Okay?" Harry could feel the prickling of tears at the corners of his eyes, and he turned around, wiping them away with his arm. He wanted to get out of this place…to get back to Padfoot, to his home. But home would not be home without Moony. …He could not cry about this now, especially not in front of Draco.

"Well, then why—"

"Because that's not what matters," Harry retorted softly, before proceeding towards the crawl space.

_Because that's not what matters… _Draco repeated to himself, amazed.

The blonde contemplatively followed the boy into the crawl passage, both beginning to crawl once more, now going in the opposite direction than where they had come from. Minutes passed in silence as they slowly progressed, before Draco decided _he_ would break it this time.

"When you _do_ get out of my house, Potter," - he decided thinking positively about the eventual outcome of things was better than thinking negatively about them, since he was going to go through with helping Potter either way… - "with your precious _Moony_, and I _ever_ see you again, and I meet him, you had better _hope_ I like him, so help me Merlin," the silver grey eyed boy threatened, and Harry smiled for the first time since Draco had aided him with his empathy problem.

"…I know you will."

"Yeah, well—" The blonde was cut off by an odd creaking and groaning of the floor of the crawling passage beneath them. Both boys stopped, and as they did, so did the weird creaking.

"W-What was that?" Harry asked, fear evident in his voice.

"I…I don't know…maybe this side isn't as strong."

"What do you mean 'isn't as strong'?"

"…Nothing, just keep going. We should be okay…" Draco replied, an ever so slight hesitance slipping into his tone.

Harry looked over his shoulder at the blonde, sensing the wariness about him. Detecting the raven-haired boy's eyes on him, Draco stopped gazing around at the compact walls carefully, and turned his gaze to Harry's. The Malfoy heir nodded once, indicating that other boy could continue. Harry's eyebrows creased as he gave Draco a last studying look, before he let it go and proceeded to turn his head back around. The two began crawling once more, greeted almost immediately by the groans and creaks of protest from their surrounding walls and floor. Deliberately ignoring them, the two pressed heedlessly onward.

"Hey, there's a hole up here…" Harry called back to Draco as he continued forward, a good seven feet ahead of the other boy.

"What?"

"It's a hole," Harry repeated for him.

_A hole…? _Draco thought to himself pensively. _But the only hole in our house is the one…_ Realization of where on the second floor they must be crawling over, hit the blonde like a ton of bricks. Why had he not realized it sooner? Sensed it? Sensed…them?

"Wait, Harry!"

The use of his first name, right when he had arrived at the hole and was about to look down in, caused the emerald eyed boy to turn back, which in turn, caused the tight passage to groan dangerously…before the floor gave way…

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Would Harry leave him here, like he very well should - Remus thought to himself - , or would he feel compelled to stay for the lycanthrope's sake? Remus did not want to admit it, but Xantos was most likely right. Harry was still here…somewhere…

_We should have talked about what to do if we ever found ourselves in this kind of situation. We knew that there was a possibility that this might happen…but we had never thought things would happen the way they have…Harry's still just a young boy… _

"I'll go in retrieval of the boy, my Lord," came Severus's smooth voice as he stepped forward from the circular ranks of Death Eaters around the chamber. Voldemort's cold gaze shifted from Remus to Snape. Xantos turned around to see Snape, as well, hazel eyes narrowing on the man.

"You deem yourself capable enough to retrieve Potter, knowing full well that these two fools-" The Dark Lord's icy red eyes flashed in the direction of Avery and Nott, who visibly flinched. "-were incapable of doing so?"

"I'll go as well," Xantos interjected, before the greasy-haired Death Eater - though it was concealed by his hood - could reply, giving Snape a suspicious look. The other man looked like he was about to make a slick retort to Xantos' plan, when a loud groaning crack was heard, as if something was finally snapping. Heads shot up just as a part of the ceiling came crashing down…

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**A/N:** -Grins- And there it is. Part 2 to the Part 1 of the Parts 3 that there are going to be. (Rhymed a little didn't it:-P ) Last time there was no cliffy, so I couldn't help myself from inserting one this time… -Smiles apologetically- Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If you did (and even if you didn't) please review and tell me what you think! Opinions (for this author, anyway) are everything. –Smiles- Anywho, onto other matters now. Right?

About last time' 'Curiosity Fulfiller': I believe many of you confused "Which Marauder…is _the_ _best_ Marauder?" (Which was my question) with "Which Marauder…is your personal _favorite _Marauder?" (Which was not my question, but I enjoyed hearing your answers to that none-the-less –grins-) For those of you who saw the question for what it was: many of you agreed with me that it was James was the 'best' Marauder. Not particularly my 'favorite' Marauder (for my favorite is another, but James is second!), but the 'best' Marauder. He was the glue that held the Marauders together, he was practically the founder of them and their friendship, and the mischievous leader of the four (Sirius being second-in-command). So…erm…yeah…and all that jazz. Anywho, for the others of you, who also understood my question, and didn't agree with me on James being the 'best' Marauder, you all had right and legitimate reasons for your opinions and answers. A few people almost converted me…but I still stick by my answer. –Smiles-

Now, for THIS CHAPTER'S 'Curiosity Fulfiller' –Grins-

"Which Weasley Twin is your favorite? Fred the Faithful or George the Genuine?"

My answer: Personally… (Don't get me wrong, I _love_ the twins. They are high up on my line of favorite characters but…) George is my favorite. I don't really have a tip of the tongue reason as to why…I've just always subconsciously (now that I honestly think about it) liked George more…even though it seems, on the top of it all, I love them both equally…grr…this is hard to explain…even to myself. Lol.

Anyway, thanks sticking with me everybody! We're a chapter away from 30 chapters! –Smiles contentedly and hands everyone a distinct HP character plushie.- Byes for now!

Till next time…

-Chloe

A.K.A – Japanime1


	30. Teamwork and Rescuing Part 3

**Disclaimer:** You'd think after so many chapters they would let us stop putting these things up. I mean, you all _already_ know I'm not J.K. Rowling, and you all _already_ know I own nothing…so why? –Sighs.- A question for the ages… Anywho, in case you 'don't' know, I am _not_ J.K. Rowling, and I own _nothing. _-Smiles sweetly.-

**Chapter Summary:** Harry is reunited with Moony...but is coming face to face with Voldemort an easy price to pay?

**A/N:** Wow, long time no see, my readers! –Tear.- I have been computer deprived for quite some time but have finally been able to get online to post this next chapter! I'm sorry it has taken so long! T-T Anywho, thank you all so much for your reviews! I've read all the new ones and each one means a lot to me. My writing/typing is for all of you devoted people. -Nod, nod.- Consider this a late Christmas present from me. :-) And now on with the long awaited chappie!

Chapter 30: Teamwork and Rescuing - Part 3

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The floor beneath him gave way, and the young Potter quickly felt the horrible sensation in the pit of his stomach that comes with falling from a great height. His eyes shut in fear as he fell, hearing the alarmingly crashes and thuds around and below him. His first instinct, as with any child his age, was to scream, but before he could open his mouth to even utter any form of sound…it was over.

With a yelp and a thud, he hit something - although, if the surprised grunt and human-like groan that came from the thing underneath him when they both went crashing to the ground was anything to go by, it was more of a 'some_one_' - hard, yet soft, that prevented his fall from causing him the type of damage that it could have caused him if he had hit the ground on his own.

Dust rose into the air casting a soft haze across the room in conjunction with the dimly lit torches. The debris from the center of the ceiling littered the ground almost completely, but the focus of those in the chamber was not directed to the debris or dust, but to the figures, barely visible, on the ground. It was not everyday someone made such an...unceremonious entrance.

Groaning, Harry pushed up against the chest of the person he had fallen on, his body trembling from the fall, head spinning, trying to stable himself so as to get a glance around the room. His mind had yet to register where he was, or whose company he was in. The only thing he was thinking of was Moony, and if he was safe.

It was in this moment that he felt it…a sharp stabbing pain on his forehead. His eyes snapped shut as he took in a painful breath before, to his surprise, a powerful set of hands grabbed him by the front neck of his collar, pulling him harshly upwards. A whimper escaped Harry's lips, his hands moving impulsively from his scar to the wrist of the hand that was holding the neck of his collar, as the person he had previously landed on yanked him off and stood up with him.

"Harry!" came a concerned, hoarse voice that the emerald eyed boy immediately recognized.

_Oh, no…Moony! _Harry thought worriedly through his pain. He was more worried about the fact that Moony was_ here_ in the presence of these… hate-filled people. He could feel it, in the course of his pain, he could feel the hatred, anger, and ill-will that crackled like electricity around the room.

Opening his eyes against the throbbing pain in his scar, the dust finally beginning to clear, Harry looked, as far as he was able, thanks to being held a few feet above the ground, towards his right and saw Moony using the wall next to him as his support to stand. As Harry opened his mouth to notify Moony that this was not the place to be, the masked person that was holding him above the ground tightened his hold on the neck of his collar, making it difficult enough to breathe that the young boy could not utter any words.

Upon realizing this, Harry's emerald eyes shifted from Moony's warm and worried amber ones to the hard, cold, hazel ones of the masked man holding him. The Death Eater's eyes stared intensely into Harry's fearful ones, almost in a calculating way, before dropping him with a thud as though he were nothing worth holding. Scrambling quickly to his feet, Harry took an impulsive step away from the person who had grabbed him, and looked around the room, completely, for the first time. _There's…so many of them… _he thought to himself, having sensed them but…as it is said: seeing is believing.

To say the Potter heir was in his comfort zone would not be anywhere near true. He was scared…yes. To not admit that to himself would prove him to be far from brave, for true bravery comes from accepting ones fear. The fact that Draco – from somewhere in the small passage above them - kept mentally repeating to Harry that he was a goner, throwing to the wind his 'I'll be positive about the situation' attitude, did not help the raven-haired boy feel any better about things. But beyond all this, he was more scared for Moony's sake.

"Harry Potter…" a venomous voice hissed from somewhere behind him, causing him to whip around, feeling as though he had been dowsed with ice water. Emerald focused on ruby and a pain far greater than the one he had been feeling earlier erupted on his forehead. His small hands jumped to his scar with a sharp intake of breath as he took a few more - though a little clumsy-ish - steps backwards.

"How nice of you to drop in…we had been about to send a search party out for you…" Harry heard, yet did not hear, what was being said to him. Why was his scar hurting 'this' much? So much so that he could barely discern anything else. Was this person…could this person…be Voldemort? Yes…it had to be… _I can't sense his feelings_…

"At long last…Wormtail!" the Dark Lord ordered, gaze never leaving Harry's, a look in those ruby eyes that Harry could not distinguish. The doors to the circular chamber banged open as a short man entered, wearing the same kind of black cloak as the rest around the room, dragging a large cauldron, panting and heaving from the effort he was exerting.

Xantos rolled his eyes at this pitiful display. "Wormtail, you always find ways to give us reason to doubt what little intelligence we occasionally think you have," he said with an exasperated sigh before waving his wand in a silent cast of Wingardium Leviosa, bringing the cauldron over to the center of the room and setting it down gracefully. "Our Lord would more than likely prefer to 'not' wait another year, I'd believe." Wormtail stumbled slightly before nodding embarrassedly and scurrying over to his place in the circle of Death Eaters, pointedly refraining from glancing over at Remus.

Concern echoed through the Potter heir's mind.

_Moony… _That one thought stuck to him through his pain, he had to get to Moony. They had to get out of here. _But how?? _he wondered to himself, snapping his eyes shut. They were surrounded, and merely trying to think straight caused the throbbing in his scar to increase!

_I'll block it._

That had been a thought. One that had not been his own and that had pierced straight through Harry's pain.

_Draco? …What are you doing?_

_What did I_ 'say'_ I was going to do, Potter? _The blond thought back, annoyed. I'm not sure how long I can hold it, but I'll block the pain for a little while. You get to Moony…

Harry nodded, not needing to be told twice. Lowering his hands from his forehead, he immediately realized that the throbbing in his scar had been reduced to a tingling sensation. The sounds around him steadily came into a clearer focus… Opening his eyes, he was greeted with - what to him was - a confusing sight, one that momentarily paused him from his mission.

"What??" Voldemort demanded icily from the trembling Death Eater before him.

"W-we're holding them back as best we can, my Lord. The wards to prevent apparition into the manor are still up, but the wards surrounding the grounds have fallen."

What were they talking about…what was going on? Many, though not all, of the Death Eaters around the chamber whipped out their wands before apparating with loud resounding 'cracks'.

"You obviously aren't doing you're best, or the wards would still be up," the Dark Lord hissed lowly…dangerously.

"Y-Yes, my Lord—" And before another word could be uttered, Harry watched, a silent gasp escaping his lips, as the man fell to the ground screaming and convulsing in pain...his own master having turned wand on him.

_No_, Harry told himself firmly, pushing the horrid feelings this person was going through out of his mind so as to not let them get to him. Moony, where was Moony? Centering himself completely and fully on that name, he turned away from the sight before him. Emerald eyes fell on the man who was still attempting to maintain himself upright by leaning against the wall…doing that much seemed to take as much effort from the man as sprinting a mile would. Harry dashed as quickly as his small legs could carry him towards his Guardian.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." said a rasping voice from the shadows that immediately froze the young Potter in his tracks…

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Darkness had long fallen as spell after spell was sent from both sides, light and dark, as the Order of the Phoenix fought their way across the grounds of Malfoy manor. Dumbledore had opted for a tactical, wise way of infiltrating the place. But Sirius had had no patience for the operation. He wanted his friend and his Godson, and he wanted them _'now'_. Hence this straight-forward approach. Tactless, a little reckless, but so far things had not gone astray.

There were duals between wizards and witches being held all over the grounds, and from what Sirius could see, the light side had the upper hand.

"Hey, _Paddy_, you look a little far from home," said a mocking voice from behind him…a voice all too recognizable. Whipping around, Sirius sent a Stupify in the direction of the voice. A loud crack informed him that the spell had missed its target. Another crack was heard as a black cloaked figure appeared in front of him. "Any closer to me, and I would've thought that spell had been _meant _for me!" the masked figure declared, his smirk evident in his tone.

"Stupify!"

"Protego! Come now, _Paddy_, if you Stupify me I won't be able to tell you how you're little _Prongslet_ and _wolfie_ are…"

Sirius snarled at this, almost not caring for whatever information Xantos could give him. If there was anyone he hated almost as much, if not as much, as Snape, it was this person before him.

"Come on, when did you stop trusting in Potters?" the golden brown-haired man inquired reasonably.

"You're no Potter to _me_, Xantos," Sirius whispered dangerously. "You stopped being a true Potter _years _ago!"

"So harsh you are!" Xantos chuckled, spells flying around them as Order members fought Death Eaters. "Well fine, be that way. I think I've done enough stalling you as things stand anyway."

"Wha—"

"I just wanted to say 'hey'. Did you actually think I came out here to_ 'fight'_ with you? Black, you're denser than I remembered, and that's _saying_ something! Heh…I've got someone more important I need to get to at the moment." And with that said, a loud crack indicated Xantos' departure.

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Draco kept the better part of his concentration on mentally blocking the pain in Harry's scar from crippling the Potter heir as he crawled back towards the dungeon he and Harry had been at earlier, crossing over the four-way they had pit-stopped at.

_Keeping this block up is getting a lot harder…_ he thought to himself with a slight grimace as he reached the end of the crawl space, entering the dark dungeon. _No time to stand around… _The Malfoy heir ran down the length of the dungeon chamber, exiting the still open door, and proceeding up the steps to the next level of the manor…

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"Been a good while, Potter. How've things been going?" the cloaked figure indifferently asked as he stepped out from behind the shadows, hood down, revealing himself as none other than Fenrir Greyback. "Well…supposing just from the situation I wouldn't guess 'marvelous'."

Harry opened his mouth, whether to scream or say something, he was not sure, for his mouth had run terribly dry.

"You know…I've had a craving for a taste of you ever since that time in the forest…" The werewolf informed the young boy as he came ever closer, a ravenous look crossing his animal-like eyes.

"Greyback!"

"My Lord…" the werewolf replied, turning towards his master.

"I don't recall 'eating' Potter to be apart of the plans for the evening…" the Dark Lord said coldly.

"...My apologies, my Lord…"

A loud crash was heard not horribly far from where those occupying the chamber were situated.

"Dumbledore never ceases in being an ever present thorn in my side!" Voldemort growled, incensed. "Bring the Potter boy over to the cauldron. At least one thing will go as according to plan this night…"

Fenrir easily grabbed a hold of Harry by the arm and forcefully dragged him in the direction of the cauldron, controlling his strong desire to just take a chunk out of the boy. The physical contact snapped Harry out of his shaken state, and he planted his feet as firmly as he could on the ground in an attempt to make himself hard to drag …but to no avail. Fenrir was physically much stronger than he was, but even though Harry knew this, he continued his struggle to free himself.

"Still as troublesome as ever," the werewolf muttered, annoyed, pushing the boy up to the cauldron.

If he were worried solely about himself, Harry would run. Fast and far. But to escape, to get away from this terrible place, he 'had' to have Moony. He had to. Padfoot had explained to him why Voldemort had come to his house when he was a baby. Why he had killed his mommy and daddy… This thought ached at him but he pushed it away for now. But now to bring Moony into things, too? He believed he knew why Voldemort had brought he, himself, here. He wanted him dead. But to bring Moony, too? What reason was there?

Fenrir grabbed a hold of Harry's wrist and raised it above the cauldron, Voldemort bringing his wand up to Harry's arm.

"No!" Harry yelled - on instinct raising the heat around his body to a degree that caused not only Fenrir to release him, but for the two wizards to take a partially stunned step back from him.

Breathing deeply, Harry looked defiantly at the two in front of him, the heat around him slowly returning to normal as he lowered his arm back down. He was not exactly sure what had overcome him to react like he had, but his senses had all but screamed 'don't let that wand touch you'. Outside the chamber, what sounded like a large commotion could be heard.

"Impressive…" Voldemort hissed icily, and again that indistinguishable look entered his ruby eyes. Similar to the eager look Fenrir had, yet all too different…"Planning on not cooperating then?"

Without a moments pause, Harry shook his head. And at that precise instant Harry's definition of pain was changed for the rest of his life…

"Crucio."

It was like nothing he had ever been put through, including the Dursley's. It felt as if the pain that had resided in his scar earlier had quadrupled and spread throughout his entire body. To all nerves, making it seem as though a million needles were piercing every inch of him inside and out. A child's pain filled screams filled the circular chamber as Harry convulsed on the floor, experiencing the Cruciatus spell for the first time…

Out of nowhere a figure flung itself, breathing heavily, in front of the screaming child, breaching the connection the wand had with Harry, the curse breaking. The young messy haired boy lay on the ground panting painfully, his face wet with tears.

"Why, Lupin! After all you've been through you actually found the strength to get over here and 'still' be standing??" Fenrir inquired with a condescending smirk.

"And all for nothing. The only thing he's managed to accomplished is to annoy me further." Voldemort said maliciously.

"Don't…don't ever…_ever_ cast that spell on him again," Remus growled dangerously, amber eyes holding an anger and a hatred they had not held in years.

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Draco stood at the doors to the circular chamber that Harry was in, peaking in through the crack of the slightly opened doors. And as far as he could tell, the person standing in front of Harry - Moony, he realized, after a quick check of his thoughts - , was very..._'very' _stupid. Did he have any idea what he was doing?

"Hey, aren't you Malfoy's so—"

Draco yelped and turned around at the sound of the voice, the ground and walls of the manor beginning to tremble, and then shake. Silver grey eyes landed on a cloaked Death Eater who was promptly loosing his balance thanks to what he dubbed an earthquake before falling backwards against the fine stone wall with a crack as skull and stone connected, falling to the ground, rendered unconscious.

The Malfoy heir did not know whether to be happy he had knocked the Death Eater out or worried that he had been seen. Vouching for the second of his two choices he bent down next to the unconscious Death Eater as the shaking of the manor came to a slow stop. The blonde reached over and took off the white mask, revealing Nott.

_Oh, if father finds out this was me, he'll_ kill _me! _Draco thought anxiously, before quickly scrambling to his feet. Down the long corridor he could see sparks and shots of spells signifying that what was going on outside was now going on 'inside' and that Potter's rescue was not too far from arriving. Something hard hitting the stone floor brought the blonde's attention back to Nott. A wand had fallen out of one of the inside pockets of the black cloak and was now rolling slowly across the ground. Silver grey eyes widening slightly, as Draco bent down and picked up the runaway wand. New screams escaped the chamber doors next to him indicating that Moony had not moved out from in front of Harry and was now paying for it.

_I've gotta get away from here, if father finds me anywhere but in my room... _He did not want to think about that. _But this is... _Yes, he was almost sure of it. _This is that 'Moony's' wand... _Shifting his gaze back to the chamber doors, Draco decided he could do _one_ last thing to help Harry.

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The Dark Lord and his minion did not seem to have been fazed by the minor earthquake that had happened a few seconds earlier, apparently silently dubbing it something that had to do with the battle that was taking place outside. Remus convulsed on the ground still on the receiving end of the Dark Lord's Cruciatus curse.

"S-Stop!!" Harry yelled desperately, throat scratchy from his previous screams, pushing himself up and onto his feet as a barrier of fire jumped up between Voldemort's wand and Remus, cutting off the curse. Tears were slowly rolling down his cheeks. "D-Don't do that s-spell on Moony anymore...please..." He knew that 'that' pain was beyond all others, that it was a million times worse than anything the Dursley's could ever cook up, and to see Moony, one of the two who had saved him from his relatives, who had cared for and loved him, being put through that curse...tore the young boy apart more than any spell could.

A heartless sneer spread across the Dark Lord's face, the boy was going to cooperate now, it was evident in the child's uncanny emerald orbs. And all for his precious good for nothing Moony...

"...N-No...Harry...y-you can't..." Remas said, breathing heavily, attempting to speak through the throbbing pain that still echoed throughout his body. The Potter heir brought his arm up and wiped his tears with it before resting it up against the cauldron like Voldemort had done with it earlier. As long as the evil wizard was not going to cast that curse on Moony anymore, Harry did not care 'what' happened to him.

"Good..." Voldemort chuckled mirthlessly as he and Fenrir stepped over the fallen Lupin.

_What in the... _Remus thought to himself, what he was seeing slightly breaking through his worry-filled thoughts. If his vision was not playing tricks on him, he was positive he was seeing his wand coming towards him riding on a very thin, very small stream of water. Deciding some things were better left unquestioned, Remus reached out and gripped his wand, some of his energy returning to him as he forced himself to stand... A murderous look entered the Lupin's amber eyes for what the two who had their backs to him had done, and were planning on doing, to his Charge. He raised his wand and all hell broke loose in the circular chamber...

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Feeling lightheaded Draco took a few steps away from the chamber door. He had done what he had set himself to do, but it had left himself feeling very odd. He supposed it was because he had never used both earth and water magic in the same day before…not to mention all this blocking…

_...Sorry, Harry... _he thought to himself, before relinquishing the barrier he had kept on the pain in Harry's scar. If he had held it any longer he was sure he would not be able to stay conscious. Taking a few more clumsy-ish steps backwards he bumped into what felt like a pair of legs...a standing pair of legs.

_So stupid... _he reprimanded himself as he gazed hesitantly upwards, silver grey eyes meeting hazel behind a white mask.

"So _you're_ the one..." the Death Eater stated, as though having realized something magnificent. "We need to talk...Somnifericus," he said, pointing his wand at the Malfoy heir, casting a spell he had invented himself.

Against his will, a deep desire for sleep overtook the blonde and he found his eyes closing without him realizing it, sleep taking him. Bending down, Xantos grabbed up the slumped slumbering kid, glanced briefly at the unconscious Nott, rolled his eyes, and began walking down the corridor opposite that of all the interfering noise...

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Spells were flying every which way between Fenrir, Voldemort, and Remus. The amber eyed man was not exactly sure where he had found the strength to put up a fight, but he believed it to be the adrenaline and the desire to get Harry away from here.

Harry had backed and crouched behind the cauldron, watching the flying spells and hexes, when the pain in his scar returned full force, if not worse. He tried to call out to Draco with his mind, to make sure the blonde was alright, but all he got in reply was the solitude of his own thoughts...his own mind... This worried him, but the pain in his scar kept him from trying again.

Snapping his eyes shut, he brought his hands to his forehead in an attempt to sooth the pain away, missing two identical grey spells as they hit Remus, sending him flying backwards and into the wall. It was then that a huge explosion was heard as the two doors leading into the chamber burst open, a good group of six entering, breathing heavily, their wands extended and at the ready.

Voldemort growled in outrage, for in his current state, possessing the body of another, and with Dumbledore in this group, there was no choice but to retreat and regroup. If the boy had cooperated from the beginning he would have had his true body by now and these newcomers would stand no chance...but as things stood now...coming up with a new plan was pivotal. And with that, two loud cracks echoed throughout the chamber as Voldemort and Fenrir disappeared.

"Moony!" Sirius called worriedly, running out from the group and coming next to his slumped friend's side.

"...H-Hehe...you never were...prompt..." Remus said, attempting a smile, but it coming out as a grimace. Sirius shook his head apologetically.

"Moony..." the black haired man murmured, inwardly and outwardly relieved that he had not lost his last best friend. The Order members all ushered into the chamber, most rushing to Remus' side as well, other's glancing around. Sirius glanced briefly around before it hit him...Harry was not anywhere... Bluish-grey eyes snapped back to Remus as two Order members helped the werewolf up. "Where's Harry?" he inquired fearfully. Surprise entered the Lupin's amber orbs. Harry was not in the room? But...

"...P-Padfoot?" came a small voice from behind the cauldron. Sirius spared a glance to Remus who nodded slightly, before hurrying over to the cauldron and spotting his Godson sitting there, hands tentatively leaving his forehead as emerald orbs stared up into blue-grey. And without words, Sirius scooped his Godson up into his arms and held him tightly against him, as if letting him go would make him disappear, true relief flooding him.

And Harry, finally in the protective arms of his Godfather, with Moony safe, with the thought that everything was going to be okay now, lowered his defenses, and allowed himself to truly cry. Cry for everything that had happened, for the pain he had been put through, for the pain Moony had been put through, for being separated from his guardians for so long, for being so close to evil it was almost suffocating to think about. And Sirius just held him against him, feeling the small body rack with sobs, as he rubbed soothing circles on Harry's back. Thanking every higher being he could think of for reuniting the three of them once more. It was not until a few minutes after Harry had stopped crying that Sirius realized the young boy had allowed exhaustion to claim him. Running a hand through the tuft of raven-black hair Sirius looked over at Dumbledore, who was smiling softly. The two nodded to each other, and the elder of the two pulled out an old boot. Handing the object to Arthur Weasley, he said,

"Alastor and I shall stay to gather the fallen and call the Auror's, the rest of you return to Hogwarts and take these two..." He looked from the sleeping Harry to Remus. "To the hospital wing."

The group nodded and all but Dumbledore and Moody placed a hand on the old boot in Arthur's hand.

"Moony?" Sirius said, looking over at his exhausted friend.

"...Yes?"

"I _told_ you. Books bring nothing but trouble..."

Remus looked at Sirius for a moment with a mixture of amusement and annoyance, opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by the Portkey activating and yanking them all forwards by their navels...

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**A/N:** And chapter 30 finishes. For those of you who believed I had dropped this story, how very wrong you were! I love this story too much to drop it. –Grin.- Anywho, tell me what you all think about the chapter. No cliffy this time! I thought you'd all appreciate that. What do you all think is going to happen to Draco? Hehe, anywho...I'll do my best to update again soon!

And on to this chapter's 'Curiosity Filler'

"In the last book, do you all think Draco will turn good, or continue to fight for the Dark Side?"

Byes for now! Till next time...

-Chloe

A.K.A. – Japanime1


	31. Recuperation & Reminiscences

**Disclaimer:** You'd think after so many chapters they would let us stop putting these things up. I mean, you all _already_ know I'm not J.K. Rowling, and you all _already_ know I own nothing…so why? –Sighs.- A question for the ages… Anywho, in case you 'don't' know, I am _not_ J.K. Rowling, and I own _nothing. _-Smiles sweetly.-

**Chapter Summary:** Draco and Harry awake with two very distinct surroundings and atmospheres...how will things turn out...? Will the next time their paths cross be for the better...or the worse?

**A/N:** Told you all it wouldn't be that long. –Grins.- This chapter just flowed out so easily, I couldn't withhold the temptation to get right into typing it out! (Even spent a majority of a day at school just scribbling away on a notebook. :-P ) It's my longest chapter to boot so far! –Does a dance.- Anyway, beyond that, I'm so happy you've all welcomed me back with open arms after having been absent so long, I had been worried about that, but here you all are…still supporting me…something for which I thank you all immensely. It's for all of you fans that I write. :-) Anywho, onto the next chappie! I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 31: Recuperation & Reminiscences

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No light streamed into the room…though, that was not anything new. It was rare to find true light within 'any' part of this place, the boy thought to himself. Blinking a few times, allowing his eyes to become accustomed to the darkness, he realized something. There was usually a candle lit in his room…it was pitch black in here. It was not that he was scared of the dark, because he was not; it was just…oddly out of the ordinary. Yawning a bit, he sat up on his bed - knowing it was his because the sheets and covers were their usual silk - and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. When had he fallen asleep? He was not sure… To tell the truth, he was not even certain how he got to his own room. He sure did feel rested though. The kind of rested people only get when they sleep the right amount of hours after being worn out to the max. Where had he been before he 'did' fall asleep, though? The memories of the day before were fuzzy to him…

A knock on the door brought the boy's attention away from trying to recollect memories, and to whoever had come to see him. Only his mother ever knocked, never his father, but the knock was too heavy to be a woman's. Reaching out with his mind, he attempted to hear the thoughts of the one at the door, to identify the person behind it. Hitting a mental wall that felt as solid as rock, the child drew back from it and just gazed though the darkness in the direction he knew the door to be, puzzlement on his face. Being unable to hear someone's thoughts had only happened when he had tried to hear Voldemort's thoughts, and if the person behind the door was Voldemort, he knew he would have sensed an evil aura…and Dark Lord's did not knock to enter a room…did they?

_No…of course they don't…_ he mused, rolling his eyes at himself for even allowing himself to merely entertain the thought. Now that he thought about it, though, he had never been able to hear his Godfather's thoughts either. Other than the fact that he was always kind to him, he knew nothing internal about his Godfather Severus… Another rap at the door withdrew the boy from his reverie.

"C…Come in," he called, awaiting apprehensively to see who it was. At the words, the door handle was turned from the other side, and the door was pulled outwardly, allowing fire-light from the torches down the corridor to stream into the room. The boy reflexively squinted at the sudden intrusion of light, making the face of the person at the door hard to see…though that did not stop the person from entering the room and flicking his wand to light the few candles around the room, brightening the room up, before closing the door behind him.

"G'morning, Draco," the golden-brown haired, hazel eyed, man said, pulling out a chair from the boy's desk and seating himself without asking for consent first. The Malfoy heir just looked at the man sitting before him…he had never seen him before. What was he doing here? He was dressed in normal wizard clothes, and his face 'seemed' friendly enough, but… "Judging that you're surprise at seeing me, I suppose I've got some explaining to do," the man chuckled. "First off, introduction, yeah? …My name is Xantos." Draco nodded slowly at this, but said nothing in return.

"Secondly, I brought you up to your room last night after casting a sleeping spell on you…you seemed like you needed the rest," the man informed him.

At this enlightenment, the memories of the night before flooded back to the blonde boy in flashes. The Death Eaters meeting up, Harry Potter locked in dungeons under the Manor, him helping the boy, forming 'some' form of connection with him - Draco did not exactly want to call it a 'friendship'…for it was not that…right? No, of course not… - , them escaping Death Eaters, them arguing over whether to go back for 'Moony' or not, Potter falling though a hole, him helping Potter with some pain in his scar, him knocking Nott unconscious, him finding 'Moony's' wand and sending it to him via a thin stream of water, and him getting caught by a hazel-eyed Death Eater who…who… And there the memories ended. And here the man, who had introduced himself as Xantos, had just told him that he had cast a sleeping spell on him! But next to that, a worse thought hit him…

"You're a Death Eater!" Draco exclaimed, panic creeping unwillingly into his voice. Had he told his father he had helped Potter escape? That he had knocked Nott out? That he had given 'Moony' back his wand to fight Voldemort with?

"Hey, keep that down, someone _just_ might hear you," Xantos grinned, eyes alight with mirth. Draco merely gaped at him. "If you're worried about me having informed the rest of the Death Eater's, mainly Lucius, or the Dark Lord…relax. I've kept your mini revolt against your father's view of things to myself."

"You…you _have_?" Draco inquired, disbelief etched into his words, though the boy noticeably relaxed. Xantos nodded. "…Why?"

Sitting back in his chair, the man dubbed by Voldemort as Serpent, pocketed his wand lazily, brought his hands up behind his head, laced them, and rested his head against them. "It would've been as much in my worst interest, as it would've been yours," he replied simply. "Other than that, there's no other answer."

"So…you're not upset? You know what I did, and you aren't mad the Dark Lord didn't get Potter?" Draco inquired, incredulous as to this being true. What kind of Death Eater 'was' Xantos, anyway?

"Hehe…naw, I rebelled against _'my'_ folks from time to time, so a few times here and there for you is normal, you're a kid…can't be mad at you for acting like one. As to being upset the Dark Lord didn't get his wish? I'm sure he'll get it sooner or later. Yesterday…just wasn't the day. These things take time and planning, as I've told him, but he's just impatient," Xantos sighed, shaking his head sadly before shifting his gaze up to the ceiling.

Xantos was an odd one that was for sure. That much Draco could surmise. Was he truly someone loyal to the Death Eater cause…or not? His words were confusing to the answer. But he was open to Draco…maybe too much so…although he still kept his mind securely barred from outsiders.

"…Why are you here?"

Slowly looking down at the boy sitting up on the bed, Xantos released a slow breath before saying, "I was wondering when you'd get around to asking me that…" Bringing his hands down and setting them on the chair's arm-rests he replied, "A good many Death Eaters were sent to Azkaban last night thanks to Dumbledore, his Order, and some Aurors…" Draco visibly tensed…he knew of that place. "Among them…your father was sent also."

A mix of emotions swept through the Malfoy heir, relief and immense sadness at the same time. "…Oh…" he whispered.

"The Dark Lord is already devising a plan to get them out, but without his true body I doubt it'll be accomplished anytime soon. He knew this as well, and seeing as how the Dark Lord has high expectations for you, being the next in line of the Malfoy's, who've been loyal to him since Merlin knows when, he inquired with Snape to see if the man could come up here from time to time keep up the home schooling you're father had been doing with you."

"Is he going to?" Draco asked, hoping so, much preferring his Godfather to the harsh ways his father taught.

"Sadly, no..." Xantos replied, though the look on his face said he was not that sorry at all. "With teaching at Hogwarts he wouldn't be able to, so…_'I'_ opted for the job."

"You?" Draco said, surprised.

"Yep. Other than working on my orders from the Dark Lord having to do with Potter, I've got nothing better to do. And what I saw last night about you intrigued me _quite_ a bit…" Xantos said, the beginnings of a grin starting to form on his lips.

_He knows… _Draco thought to himself anxiously, _he knows about my powers…_

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A faint light streamed into the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, the beginnings of dawn entering the spacious area. Groaning softly, 6-year-old Harry Potter turned from his side position on the hospital bed, to his back and blinked open his eyes before rubbing the sleep from them as he yawned. The world was blurry. Where were his glasses? Reaching for the nightstand next to his bed, his hands found what they were looking for, and he slipped the objects onto his face, bringing to world into a clearer, crisper focus. Sitting up, the raven-haired boy glanced around the room to find a sleeping Remus on the bed next to him, and a dozing Sirius on a chair at the foot of the space between their two beds. A heartwarming smile spread across Harry's face. It had not been a dream, he was with Moony and Padfoot again. …His family.

Removing his covers he scooted off the bed as quietly as he could, passed a glance at his Godfather, feeling a yearning to just crawl into his lap and cuddle against him, but he pushed it aside. His desire to check on Moony was greater. Climbing as quietly and as softly as he could onto his second Guardian's bed, he removed the blankets a bit, saw bandages here and there, but nothing that looked life-threatening. Sighing with relief, emerald eyes trailed to the werewolf's face to find amber orbs staring back at him. A light yelp escaped his lips, as he fell from his knees to his bum, surprised at finding the previously sleeping man to be awake.

"Find everything to be in order?" the light brown-haired man inquired, amusement evident in his tone and eyes. Harry smiled and nodded, tears threatening to enter his eyes, but he fought them back.

"Moony!" he exclaimed, crawling over and laying down next to the man. Remus wrapped his arms around the child and held him there, comfortingly. "I'm glad you're okay…" Remus smiled softly, kissed the top of Harry's tuft of black hair, and replied,

"I'm glad you're okay, too…I was so worried about you…" Harry looked up at his guardian, knowledge of what the man said visible in his emerald orbs…he had sensed it back there at the manor. "…I'm sorry…I didn't get you out of there faster. At least before…before…"

Harry knew Moony was talking about everything that had happened after he had fallen into the circular chamber, and he put a finger up to the werewolf's lips, silencing him. "You did a lot for me, Moony…you did great."

The emotion building up in the werewolf was quite apparent to the Potter heir. The boy's words moved the man. Digging his face in Harry's hair, he hugged the boy against him, and whispered, "…I love you, Harry."

"…I love you, too…Uncle Moony."

And in that same position the two fell asleep, Harry having dubbed his second guardian the title of 'Uncle'. A word he had refrained from using whenever possible, the memories painful. But Moony had been worth the title. After all, he had been much more of a brother to his dad than Uncle Vernon had 'ever' been to his mom. And last night…last night Harry believed the man had proved to him how a 'true' uncle was meant to act…meant to be…

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"Heh...it certainly did confirm my suspicions. There was no way Potter could've escaped his cell on his own. The electricity voltage was too high...and the only people who could've undone the spell were in the chamber that _I_ was in. ...So when we got wind of his escape, I started to think of the ways it could've happened. There was only one logical explanation, no matter how mental the idea sounded. Earth counteracts electricity pretty well. And with that in mind, I tried to think of anyone I'd forgotten...someone that might've still been in the house that could've possibly suited my theory." A grin.

"...And at the most oddest moment..._you_ came to mind...and all the pieces fell into place. The age was right, the position in the manor was right, and the signs were right. Hehe...if it hadn't been for that moment when I had just apparated outside the manor, when it had hit me...who knows? Things might've turned out different. I might've stayed out there and fought Dumbledore's Order members... The Dark Lord might've gotten Potter... But time was of the essence...I had to get to you before another Death Eater did..." He allowed his words to float off, for Draco to contemplate them for a second. "As things turned out...I 'wasn't' the first to find you. Which was probably because I took a moment to talk with Black..." His last sentence was directed more to himself than to Draco. "But you did a good enough job dealing with Nott, I saw," he chuckled amusedly.

Yep...that sealed it. He was trapped. This Xantos had enough on him to…to get him kicked off the Malfoy family tree! To be labeled a…a…a _blood traitor_! The worst of the worst! Oh, if he _ever_ regretted helping Potter out, it was now. Why would he do something so incredibly stupid? And on top of all that, he had 'no' idea how his family would react to him having powers outside those of a regular wizard. But then, he did have to remind himself that Xantos 'had' said he had not told anyone… He had said that to do so would have been in both their bad interests…

_Can I trust his words? …Trust 'him'? _

"No reason to seem so blue, I kept your little 'gifts' to myself... I didn't, and don't, exactly think its time to let out that the other Elemental has been uncovered… And that he's a Malfoy, no less," Xantos grinned.

"An Elemental?" Draco repeated, a bemused expression on his face.

"It's what kind of wizard you are…well…you and 'Potter' are…" he explained.

So he could not even be called a wizard! He was an _Elemental_! How would his father take _'that'_? And his mother absolutely _hated_ anything out of the wizarding ordinary. And if he lost _'her'_ kindness, he would lose everything that mattered. Ugh…ever since Potter...everything was just going farther and farther down hill! How much more till rock bottom _was_ there?

"Hehe, don't jump to conclusions," Xantos smirked, reading into Draco's expression. "Your father would be ecstatic at the news...to say the least...and the Dark Lord would be…more than pleased, I guess I should say, to have found one half the coin right under his nose. But…it's not time for _any_ of them to know."

The fact that his 'Elemental' powers would not anger his father at all, comforted the blonde slightly. He was in the clear on that one. Now he would only get killed if his father ever found out how exactly Potter was able to ultimately escape. If Xantos kept to his word about not telling, then maybe helping Potter had not been 'that' horrible…

"Why can't they know?" Draco inquired curiously, removing his blankets and swinging his legs over the side of his bed so that they would dangle there.

"You're not ready for them to," Xantos replied, as if it were completely obvious. "I've no doubt that you've advanced yourself some, but not nearly enough for the Dark Lord's purposes. He'll want to put you straight to his use, and the magical strain would undoubtedly kill you."

The Malfoy heir blinked a few times at this, processing the information. So, the Dark Lord wanted to have what ever it was he was capable of… But…how did Xantos _know_ all of this? And was he keeping Draco's secret, coming to get him last night, and vouching to come here to continue his home schooled teaching, all for Draco's benefit? To look out for him? The natural Slytherin in him told him the Death Eater before him 'had' to have some ulterior motives to his actions.

"So…"

"So…being as studied as I am in the subject, I'm _also_ going to train you in your Elemental magic, as well as basic primary school things," Xantos stated, as easily as if it was something he offered to do for people every day. Draco's mouth almost dropped, but he was swiftly able to catch it. Xantos was going to do this under everyone's noses? How could he train him without telling the Dark Lord of his powers?

"But the Dark Lord will read into your—" A laugh from the man sitting in front of him cut his sentence off, earning Xantos an odd look.

"If the Dark Lord could read into _half_ of me, I would've been dead _'years'_ ago," he grinned.

What was _that_ supposed to mean?? Draco was even more confused as to what kind of Death Eater Xantos was. Who willingly revealed stuff like that to people??

"Let's not take that the wrong way now," Xantos said, grin becoming nothing more than a smile. "I _am_ loyal…if I'm nothing else…I _am_ that." These words were said earnestly.

Draco found his resistance to withhold his trust from the man dwindling. Xantos was a likable person…in a very weird, roundabout way. But before he placed himself into this new teacher's hands, answered questions to things he had never told anyone in his family or outside it, he would have to test something…and ask a few questions of his own.

"What if…_I_ told?" the young Malfoy inquired innocently enough, though mischief sparkled in his silver grey orbs. Xantos' expression became almost immediately serious as he gazed at Draco pensively for a few seconds. Sighing and shaking his head, he replied,

"I suppose that'd be a choice you would have to make for yourself. In the end, though, magical exhaustion would be your death…heh…and I'd come out with maybe a few Crucio's, which, mind you, 'would' be painful." Hazel eyes scanned the large bedroom, walls and floor - like the rest of the manor - made of stone, before his gaze landed on the emerald green silk bed sheets where the Malfoy heir sat. The man noted with slight disdain the Slytherin-like color, before returning his gaze and attention to the calculative young blonde.

"But do you want the truth? ...I highly doubt you'll utter a word of my training you in Elemental magic to anyone," Xantos said, grin returning.

"What makes you say _that_?" Draco asked, the trademark Malfoy sneer revealing itself.

"I can teach you things no one else can…things that would take you years and _years_ to learn on your own."

Draco contemplated the man's words for a few moments…and decided he would never really know unless he gave Xantos the opportunity. And his father 'did' always say that when opportunity knocked, you were supposed to drag it kicking and screaming inside…

Xantos saw the answer he wanted on the boy's face long before the words had been voiced aloud.

"…Alright…" Draco sighed, resigned. He guessed he finally _had_ hit rock bottom. Well…at least there was no where else to go but up, right? …Right?

Down casting his gaze to his hands, Draco stared at them for a bit before a thought entered his head and he snapped his silver grey gaze back to Xantos.

"…Are you a pure-blood?"

The man smirked and nodded.

"What's your surname?"

"That one…will have to wait a bit…"

Draco looked at him, wondering why the man could not answer such a simple question.

"Fine…is my mother alright with this? With what she _knows_ about this?"

Xantos shrugged, "She said she didn't mind. It's not everyday that a spell smith is in her house. And she _does_ want your schooling to continue, even though she's hardly ever home thanks to trips, sooo…"

"You're a _spell smith_?" the boy repeated, as if it had been the only thing he'd heard.

"...Yep."

"Hmm…" He'd heard of them, and their rarity, but had never met one. _No wonder the Dark Lord finds him useful…_ "I see…"

"So…trust me yet?

"…A little…I guess…"

"Better than not at all, I suppose." Xantos chuckled.

"Are there more of us?"

"More of what?"

"More Elementals than just Potter and I."

"Oh….no, just two every thousand years or so," the man sighed sadly.

"Is that why the Dark Lord wanted Potter?"

"Well…it certainly was 'one' of his reasons…" Draco nodded thoughtfully at this.

"And…he wants me too…?"

"He wants the second Elemental, as well, yes. In this case you…but he doesn't know that."

Draco nodded understandingly.

"Where..._is_ the Dark Lord now?"

"An answer I'm not at liberty to tell. Just know that he's fine where he is, planning, locating a new suitable host with Greyback's help, and probably giving Pettigrew his punishment for hightailing it out of here early." Draco sighed at this. He had hoped for an answer...

"You know, you've asked me quite a bit." Xantos voiced aloud the thought. "…Mind if I ask you a few things now?" The Malfoy heir hesitated for a second...before nodding.

"What can you do with your powers up till now? I know you've got water and earth as your two main ones, because Potter has fire and air, but I don't know which of the two is your dominant one...and what _other_ abilities you may be capable of." Leaning forward, resting his arms on his knees, allowing his hands to hang in the space between his knees, he gave his full and undivided attention to the blonde boy.

This was information he needed to know in order to understand the boy's capabilities, limits, and in which direction to start the training. The fact that the subject of Elementals and their abilities fascinated him was in small comparison to his other reasons for asking these questions… Even though he could not prevent his hazel orbs from coming ablaze with interest.

Draco sighed, having expected such a question. Taking a deep breath, to ready himself, the Malfoy heir began to talk. And a conversation ensued…a bond formed…the sort that forms between two strangers who reveal intimate secrets to one another. And a turning point would occur from this conversation outward that, though time, would change the outcome of many things to come…

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"Sirius…"

Said black-haired Animagus mumbled in his sleep at the, what seemed, far away calling of his name. His only major reaction was to move into a more comfortable position and to continue on catching up on the sleep he had missed out on while hunting his friend and Godson down.

"Mr. Black." A few more grumbles.

"Mr. Black, if you want me to 'cure' you of your sleeping disorder, I'd be more than ha—" A load groan responded to this, cutting the school nurse off.

Blearily opening his bluish-grey eyes, Sirius Black came face to face with one Madam Pomfrey. Jumping up with surprise, he immediately realized her proximity to him, stumbled backwards onto the chair he had been dozing in, knocked it backwards as well, and fell with it to the floor.

"…Oww…"

"You alright down there, Siri?" came Remus's unmistakable voice, his delight evident. A mix between a groan and a growl emitted from Sirius's position before he replied through gritted teeth,

"Why, yes, oh considerate Moony." Pushing himself off the fallen chair, he gingerly stood, only to be greeted with the sight of Madam Pomfrey covering her laughter with a hand, Harry sitting on Remus' lap covering his laughter – poorly - with both hands, and Remus just grinning at him as if saying – more than a little facetiously - , _'Brilliant job, Mr. Padfoot.' _

"Oh, I see how it is. I see a plan executed when I see one," the black-haired man glared.

"Or…when it…knocks you to the floor!" Harry said with difficulty through bouts of laughter, before breaking out into giggles, leaning against Remus for support so as to not tumble over. Sirius looked about ready to tackle the boy and tickle him to death.

"Now, now, Mr. Black…no violence. These two are my patients and I can't allow any roughhousing." Sirius glanced at Pomfrey, lost his nerve from the look she was giving him, and picked up the fallen chair with a defeated sigh.

After Harry's giggling died down to nothing, the nurse picked up two empty potion vials from the night stand and said, looking over at Sirius, "It wasn't 'all' a joke, you know. You 'did' need to get up. Anyway," she sighed walking over towards her office before turning back. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin have finished taking their potions for the day, and Dumbledore told me to tell you all that he would like to see you whenever Remus and Harry felt up for the walk to his office." Her message given, she nodded to the two older wizards, gave Harry a fleeting smile, and turned before bustling into her office.

Remus looked over at Sirius, asking his friend with his look 'why Dumbledore would want to speak with them a second time.' Sirius shrugged in response, just as curious as to the reason. The aged wizard had already gotten Remus's story of the events of last night, and the night before when he and Harry had been captured. The two occupants of the bed watched as Sirius took a seat in the chair he had previously knocked over. Pensive silence reigned in the room, mainly in part by the two older wizards. Harry was just content, happy to be back. He occasionally wondered if Voldemort and his Death Eaters would come back for him…but in this moment, with both his guardians, the thoughts were left at the back of his mind.

"Prongslet…" Sirius said, looking over at the youth, a thoughtful look on his face that said he had just realized something. "…is it just me…or does Moony seem like he's hogging you?"

"Umm…" Harry said, looking up at Remus briefly before looking back at Sirius, who was pouting. Making a move to get up from Remus' lap, Harry was quickly stopped, two arms wrapping around his middle and a chin resting on his head.

"Why would he want to spend time with someone who _'isn't'_ his favorite?" Remus asked, amber eyes glinting mischievously. Harry's eyes widened and Sirius' mouth dropped in mock betrayal.

"Are…are you trying to imply the thought that Mr. Prongslet might just like _'you'_ better than he likes _'me'_, Mr. Moony?" Sirius inquired dangerously, though his bluish-grey eyes were playful. Harry opened and closed his mouth, trying - and failing - to come up with something to say to the two.

"But of course, Mr. Padfoot. Any _bright _person would be able to see _that_ fact."

At that, Sirius whipped out his wand, Remus following suit, as the black-haired man stood from his chair.

"W-Wait, don't! I like both of you the _same_!" Harry cried, a franticness for the truth to be known before a battle began evident in his voice. The emerald eyed boy rapidly scrambled out of Remus' arms, stood on the bed between them, and glanced between them with pleading eyes.

"…_Who_ likes us both the same?" Sirius asked, grinning, as if not having heard properly.

"I do!"

"_Who??_" Remus asked, a smile forming on his face as he too feigned being mildly deaf.

"…_Prongslet_ does!" Harry replied, wondering if this was the answer the two men wanted.

"_Who??"_ Sirius asked, as though confused. Harry looked between the two for a few seconds, baffled, before it hit him.

Taking a breath, he said slowly, with a little more calmness, "…Mr. Prongslet…" He paused here; thinking briefly before continuing with, "…likes Mr. Padfoot and Mr. Moony…the _same_."

Soft smiles stole their way across the faces of the two men as they gradually lowered their wands. "Aw, kiddo! We know you do!" Sirius said, pocketing his wand before picking the boy up and sitting down on the chair with him on his lap. "We were just messing with you."

"Oh…" Harry chuckled sheepishly, glancing over at Remus who nodded, smiling as well.

"Well…I guess we better head on over. You two feel up to it?"

"Yeah," Remus replied with a sigh, and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Those potions Missus Pomfrey gave us were really good, right Uncle Moony?"

Remus chuckled and nodded as Sirius looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. The amber-eyed werewolf merely smiled and shrugged, he was not planning on questioning the boy on the new nickname. He liked it.

A good ten minutes later found Harry and Remus dressed into regular clothes rather than hospital ones, and ready for leaving the wing.

"That whole Pomfrey thing was underhanded, Remus," Sirius informed his friend pensively, as though the small prank had been eating at him, as the three exited and headed for Dumbledore's office. Sirius was holding Harry's right hand, and Remus was holding the boy's left as they walked down the hall. "I was asleep, you know a healer being so close to me gives me _no_ sense of comfort, and you _'still'_ put her up to it."

"You really _do_ love to make things that happen to you seem like the end of the world, _don't_ you?" Remus asked, looking over at the black-haired man with an inquisitive look.

"...No...of course not! And you know what Remi? Through all these years I've come to realize just how mischievous you actually _are_. Everyone else thinks you're this completely kind-hearted, considerate person, who would rather pick up a book than partake in a good Marauder-ish prank...and granted, you are a lot of that...but if they knew even just 'a little bit' of the stuff about you that I know, they'd see how you _really_ are. If Dumbledore hadn't made you Prefect, our last three years at Hogwarts would've been even 'better'."

Remus sighed and shook his head, and deciding to change the subject, he inquired, "Think Pomfrey will let us leave her care today?"

"Even after that intense healing magic she did on you yesterday, and that invigoration potion this morning, I doubt she'll dub you ready to leave 'today'…Prongslet, maybe, but not you." The black-haired animagus replied, knowing Remus had changed the subject, but letting it slide.

"If it were you in her care, you'd be out today with or without her permission," the werewolf stated knowingly.

"Yeah…most likely, but you're not me." Remus rolled his eyes at this and the three continued on their way.

Hogwarts Castle was oddly empty for a nice spring Saturday…but that was most likely thanks to the fact that it was Hogsmeade day and most of the students were out and about at the town, or in their common rooms. After a few flights of stairs, and a lot more walking, the three arrived at the statue that led to Dumbledore's office. As if knowing they were to arrive, the statue stepped aside, without even making the visitors name off random sweets to figure out the password. Ascending the stairs, Sirius knocked on the door with the door knocker a few times, and they waited. Not a few seconds later the door opened and the three entered.

"Come in, come in," came Dumbledore's amiable voice from his desk.

Harry glanced around the room in fascination and they entered it. He had never seen a place with more _things_…so many trinkets and objects that did many different things. There were pictures on the wall that all seemed to stare at him with the same fascination he was staring at them with. And on a perch not too far from where the headmaster sat was the most beautiful bird Harry had ever laid eyes on.

"Wow…" he whispered softly to himself.

"Oh!" Dumbledore smiled, trailing Harry's awestruck gaze to the phoenix. "Do you like him Harry? That is Fawks, a phoenix. They are rare, loyal birds that can do a large variety of useful things."

"He's…very pretty," Harry said, smiling shyly as he looked over at the elder wizard. Dumbledore smiled back in response, before motioning to the three chairs that were situated in front of his desk. Sitting down, Harry in the chair between his two guardians, the three visitors to the headmaster's office gave their full attention the man.

"I do suppose you're all wondering why I asked for you to come up here…" Dumbledore began, looking at the three. "...Well, I do have some important information for you, and then…" His kind gaze landed on Harry. "…I have some question that I'd like to ask young Mr. Potter, here." Sirius and Remus shared a glance at this over their charge's head before returning their attention to Dumbledore.

"The first news that I must give you, is that there is yet to be a need to move you all from the house you are currently situated in. Severus has informed me that the Death Eater's only knew Remus and Harry's location thanks to magic being preformed in the town. For all they know, it could've been a town the two were passing through. They do not know the location of the house, and the fact that it is a good few miles from the actual town is very good." He paused here, taking a few brief seconds to gather his thoughts in order before continuing. "As a precautionary measure, however, Alastor is reinforcing the protection spells and charms on your house as we speak."

Sirius and Remus nodded, grateful. Harry, though, wallowed in the fact that it was _'his'_ fault that he and Remus had been caught. If he had not preformed elemental magic on an open street, where no charms had been cast to block the tracking of the magic, the events of the past two nights would have never happened. Remus would have never gotten hurt… Noticing the turmoil on the boy's countenance, Dumbledore said comfortingly,

"No reason to feel bad, my boy. You did not know the consequences of your actions, and so no fault can be placed on you. I'm sure this accident won't happen again." Harry shook his head 'no', he would definitely be more careful next time now that he knew. He felt a little better thanks to the headmaster's words, but his guilt was still there.

"I attempted to explain to Cornelius earlier this morning about who was behind the attack and kidnap of Harry and Remus…though he refused to believe the part about Voldemort. I suppose until Voldemort decides to show himself to the 'entire' wizarding world, the man won't accept the fact that he is still out there," Dumbledore sighed sadly, knowing that at the moment though, nothing could be done. Sirius clenched his fists on the arm rest of his chair but said nothing, voicing his anger to Dumbledore about the Prime Minister of Magic's denseness would assist in nothing.

"Other than these two things, I have nothing new to tell you apart from what we discussed last night. And now we shall move onto the main reason I called the three of you here…" Centering his attention and blue gaze on Harry, he said, "My boy…if you would not mind too terribly…I would very much like to know your version of the going-ons of the past two nights."

Harry was a little caught off guard by being asked this; he had expected maybe to be asked this later by his Godfather or Uncle Moony…but by Mr. Dumbles? Looking between his two guardians, who looked as though a question was answered for them and who seemed curious as to Harry's story as well, the boy sighed softly, looking down at his feet. How much could he say? His whole story involved Draco…a Malfoy. He had seen nothing wrong with it in the moment, but he knew that Padfoot and Moony did not like the Malfoy's…and he knew why. So…could he talk about Draco? Was that a right thing to do? He supposed truth was best… He just hoped his guardians did not get upset with him afterwards…

"Well…erm…" He glanced briefly up at Dumbledore, who was waiting patiently, before looking down at his feet. "I woke up in…some kind of a jail," he began, continuing to look at his feet. "It was dark…really, really dark… And I felt funny, like my brain was all cloudy… I couldn't do any magic in there...I didn't know why, so I was scared." His voice had steadily been growing softer, but then he finally trailed his gaze to Dumbledore's, blue meeting emerald. "But then someone just…talked to me," he said, a little stronger now. "Talked to me…in my head."

"In your head?" Sirius repeated, worry for his Godson's sanity etched on his face.

"Yeah… He said he had been able to do it for a while. That he could think his thoughts to people, and hear _their_ thoughts. It was really weird, but I got used to it after a while," Harry said, looking over at his Godfather before looking back at Dumbledore, who nodded for him to continue. "...He...told me that I wasn't safe, and that he was going to help me get out. He found some keys and unlocked the door to the big room I was in. He opened my jail door just fine...even though it had shocked 'me' when I had tried."

Pausing for a moment, he pondered over what had happened next, quickly remembered, then proceeded onward. "I dunno why, but everybody's feeling in the place hit me all at the same time...it hurt so much that I could barely think. He helped me control how opened and closed my power was...and then these two guys came. He and I ran and were able to get into some secret tunnel he had known about. We crawled around for a while, him taking me the way out…but then I remembered Uncle Moony. I...I couldn't leave without him...so…"

"So you went back…" Dumbledore finished, with a soft smile. Harry hesitated a moment before nodding. Remus felt like telling the boy that he had not had to do that in the _slightest..._but knew that you could not change how a person was on the inside…and that with or without Remus' input on the subject, Harry would pick the same choice time and time again.

"Yeah…he didn't think it was a good idea, but I did it anyway. We went through a different tunnel, me going first this time. This one made a lot of noise...but we kept going. And then I fell through while trying to look down this one hole…" Dumbledore nodded, Remus having informed him of when this had occurred. "A lot happened then that I don't remember that good…it all happened really fast. But my scar hurt, worse than my head had when I had gotten out of the jail. But the boy who had helped me earlier helped me then, too. ...He...erm...blocked the pain somehow...and then someone was telling Voldemort about you guys. He was scary and wasn't happy…" Dumbledore smiled at this.

"Then a whole bunch of the Death Eaters left, and it was just Moony, me, Voldemort, and…" He gulped. "Fenrir…" His gaze fell to his feet again for a few seconds before he finally looked back up. "Voldemort wanted to do something with my arm, but…I wouldn't let him. So he…" Harry broke off here…the memory of the spell too painful to recount…

"Uncle Moony saved me, though." He said after a pregnant silence, uncomfortable, looking swiftly over at Remus with an appreciative smile before looking back at the headmaster. "But then Voldemort...put the spell on Uncle Moony. I was… so mad…I didn't want the same hurt to be on him too…so I broke the spell off with fire…and said that I would listen… Then the ground shook some and Voldemort and Fenrir came and...were about to do what ever it was...when Uncle Moony got his wand back… Then the pain in my scar came back too..." He closed his eyes briefly at the painfilled memory, before opening them once more.

"I don't know what happened to the boy who helped me…but he hasn't talked to me again since then…" He stopped here, knowing that they knew the rest of the story. Taking a deep breath, he released it slowly; glad he had gotten the story out. It felt alleviating to not have it all to himself.

"Interesting…_very_ interesting…" Dumbledore said, more to himself than to Harry. Other than on the topic of Harry having heard a voice, Sirius and Remus had remained quiet, listening attentively to everything the boy had said…Remus doing his best to keep himself in check, and Sirius gritting his teeth angrily for the better part of it all. How he wished he had been there earlier!

"Now, Harry, about this boy… what did you _sense _about him?" the elder wizard inquired curiously.

Harry thought the question over for a few minutes, trying to find a way to form the answer he was to give. "It was weird…he was…a lot like me…but he was totally different, too..."

Dumbledore nodded pensively, before asking, "Would you mind one last question, my boy?" The emerald-eyed child shook his head no.

"…What was his name?"

Harry opened his mouth, but his voice cut off, so he closed it again. Here it was, the question he had dreaded would be asked... They were going to know now…and the outcome was undeterminable… Taking a shuddering, steadying breath, he replied softly,

"…Draco… his name was Draco Malfoy…"

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**A/N:** A cliffhanger? Kinda sorta? Naw…no 'kinda sorta' about it, is there? –Sighs defeatedly.- Anywho, how will the name be taken? Guess you'll have to wait for the next chapter for that one… :-) Thanks so much for your continued support through reviews, and I hope this long chapter quenched the gap somewhat of my absence. I shall do my best to update again soon, though with midterms, it might not be for a few more weeks than 'this' update was. But never fear! –Grins.-

And now onto this chapter's 'Curiosity Filler'

"Do you all think J.K.R did good putting Remus with Tonks in the books? Or do you think he should've been paired with another already introduced character, or a new one?"

Personally, I've always thought she was a little young for him, but my friend thinks that they're great together. –Shrugs.- I guess its all just a matter of opinion. –Sighs.-

Well, anyway, byes for now! Till next time…

-Chloe

A.K.A – Japanime1


	32. Responses

**Disclaimer:** Nope, I still own zilch. –Sobs.-

**Chapter Summary:** Decisions are made, and responses are given to news given to different parties...

**A/N:** Well, I thought it to be a good idea to post again before finals began eating at me, sooooo, hence this chapter. –Nod, nod.- The end of the school year is always a mix of happiness and stress for me…ugh… Anywho, moving past that now, enjoy the chapter. :-)

Chapter 32: Responses

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A shocked silence rang out throughout the room as Sirius and Remus' gazes shifted slowly, incredulously, to their charge.

"…Who?" Sirius asked after a few beats, wondering if his ears were finally failing him. 26 years _were_ getting up there, after all…

Harry looked reluctantly from his Godfather to his Uncle before looking over at Dumbledore, who had been a little surprised at first, but who now seemed like if the name Harry had given was the most logical answer in the universe.

"…Draco Malfoy?" Remus repeated in disbelief. A Malfoy! Help a Potter? What in the world could have possessed the boy to even entertain the thought, let alone take action on them?? And in the ways this boy did…no normal wizard could have accomplished what he had in order help Harry… But Remus could not say that he was not grateful, for he was…extremely. They owed the boy now, for Harry. Things could have turned out horribly if Draco had not made the choice he had…

"Yeah…" Harry said, voice soft, sinking into his seat. A new silence fell, a pensive one this time. The fact that Padfoot had not gone over the roof about Draco comforted Harry and worried him at the same time. Passive aggression was worse in the long run than straight out aggression...

"I'm sorry…" These small, barely audible, words snapped those in the room out of their thoughts as they all placed their attention on Harry again.

"What for, kiddo?" Sirius inquired with a soft smile, picking his Godson up from his chair and sitting him on his lap.

Harry looked uncertainly up at his Godfather before leaning against him, resting his head on his chest. He did not really want to ask, but…if he did not know, it would bother him for the longest time…

"Well…aren't you mad? Draco's a…_Malfoy_…" Saying the last name like it was evil pained the young boy. Sirius's eyes softened as he shook his head, positioning the boy so that emerald eyes met bluish-grey ones.

"I can't be upset for something out of your control, Prongslet. Surprised…Merlin and Agrippa! Heh. But…I don't have room to talk. _I'm_ a Black after all…"

Sirius had explained to Harry a good few months ago about how the Blacks had been a Dark Wizard family, just like many other pure-blood ones, but that he had been a kind of…outcast from them; which was how he and James had become friends.

"Another black sheep in a Dark Wizard family? Hard to believe…" Remus voiced, looking over at Dumbledore. "Sirius was one in a million."

"You're right. I would not label the boy a black sheep of the Malfoy's just for one day of rebellious acts…Draco is still young, moldable. He has yet to truly become who he 'shall' be the day he sets foot in Hogwarts. Whether or not he shall turn out like those before him has yet to be seen…" Dumbledore sighed. "Though from what Harry has told us, I would say it safe to assume we know who the second Elemental is…" Sirius and Remus nodded slowly at this. What other normal wizard could project their thoughts as well as 'hear' others'? It was good to know searching for the second was not going to be a problem though…but who the second _was_ proposed a whole new range of predicaments.

"With this new revelation, I must say that it would be my preference that both boys were raised as Light Wizard's rather than one Light and one Dark. Things could prove troublesome if they stay that way. Hmm…I'll have to speak with Severus, but with Lucius in Azkaban we _might_ just be able to—"

An abrupt knock on the door informed the four in the room that they had company.

"Come in," Dumbledore called, shifting his blue gaze to the door. The eyes of the three across from him followed suit.

In a flurry of robes, one Severus Snape entered the room, the door closing behind him.

"Headmaster, I have…" his silky voice trailed off as onyx eyes fell on Remus, Sirius, and lastly, Harry. They narrowed dangerously and Harry visibly cringed before hiding his face in his Godfather's robes. Oh, how that man's personality reminded him of his Uncle Vernon! "I see…have I come at a bad time?" he inquired lazily, shifting his gaze to the white bearded man.

"As a matter of fact, _Snape_—" Sirius began in malicious response, but was cut off by Dumbledore.

"You've come at a fine time, Severus. I was soon to just be calling you."

The corners of the Potion Master's lips curled in a satisfied sneer as he proceeded to enter the room a few more steps.

"Your arrival must mean you have something of importance to inform me," Dumbledore stated, knowing this to be the only reason the man would arrive without being called upon first.

"…Yes, Headmaster," Snape replied, onyx eyes trailing back to Harry. "Although I would prefer it to be given with_out_ extra ears present…"

"Well, I suppose if you feel that way Severus…but Sirius and Remus shall stay, though. I would like their opinions as well as yours on a few matters…" Snape seemed to be using all his self control to not role his eyes at this, and nodded, hiding his displeasure at being in the same room as the two men in the chairs.

"…I have to go?" Harry inquired, his child-like voice muffled slightly by Sirius' robes. His two Guardians glanced over at Dumbledore, who nodded.

"We'll be back with you in just a bit, Prongslet," Sirius informed his Godson, causing the boy to sit up some - forcing himself to not look over at the man who's glance reminded him so much of Uncle Vernon's… - , and look from Sirius to Remus with sad emerald orbs. After being reunited with them, he definitely did not want to be apart again. The look broke their hearts, but they knew it would only be for a little while.

"It'll be alright, Harry. Here…I'll take you back up to Madam Pomfrey," Remus offered, standing up, reaching a hand out for Harry's.

Glancing briefly back up at his Godfather, Harry took his Uncle's hand and slowly slid off Sirius's lap.

"Do I..._have_ to go there?" he asked, biting his bottom lip, hoping to not have to spend his time just with Madam Pomfrey. If nothing else, for he doubted his Guardians would allow him to go exploring the castle, he could at least go visit Hagrid and Amber while he waited for them.

Remus gave a small smile, and looked up at Dumbledore.

"If…you would prefer, Harry, I could have a teacher who's free at the moment look after you for a little while," Dumbledore consented with a smile, eyes sparkling in their Dumbledore-ish fashion.

Harry brightened up considerably at this prospect. He was sad he would have to leave Moony and Padfoot for a little while, but he knew he did not have much choice in the matter…and that at least 'this' way he would not have to spend his time in the hospital wing. His only _true_ concern was that if all the teachers at Hogwarts were like Severus Snape… He did not want to think about that…

"Well, I suppose that settles matters, then," he smiled. "Give me just a moment." And with that, Dumbledore easily whipped out a quill from his desk drawer and pulled a blank piece of parchment from another drawer. In fine-script handwriting he wrote out a quick note, rolled it up and elegantly stood, walking over to Fawks, who sat regally on his perch, watching the room. "Care to do me the favor, my old friend?" And as if knowing the Headmaster's desired recipient, the Phoenix took the note in his beak, and disappeared in a flash of fiery feathers.

A gasp escaped Harry's lips as he looked wide-eyed at the place the bird had sat just previously.

"Just one of the many skills he has, my dear boy," Dumbledore smiled at Harry. "I believe you have one quite similar..."

"Headmaster…" Snape sighed, impatient. "Must we _honestly_ conform to a spoiled boy's wishes? As far as I can see, Black and Lupin have done nothing more than aid him in becoming more like his conceited father…which I doubt he needed any help with from the beginning…"

"Care to say that 'again', Snape?" Sirius all but growled as he jumped to his feet, eyes flashing.

"I said," Snape sneered, all to glad to repeat his words, "that—"

"Now, now Severus…Sirius…" Dumbledore interrupted, voice kind yet stern at the same time. In that moment, in another flash of fiery feathers, Fawks reappeared, a new note held in his beak. The aging headmaster contentedly took the note, read it over quickly, smiled to himself, and looked down at Harry, whose hand was still in Remus'.

"The professor has kindly agreed. You may head down the spiral staircase on your own, Harry. You shall be greeted almost as soon as you arrive in the hall."

Harry nodded once before glancing at his two Guardians who both nodded, though Sirius did so after tearing a glare away from Snape. Removing his hand from Remus', he smiled lightly up at the man, then at Sirius, and then walked over to the large door that led into and out of Dumbledore's office.

Stopping at the door, placing his hand on the knob, he glanced back into the room at the headmaster and said, "…Thank you…sir…"

"You're welcome, Harry," Dumbledore replied, eyes sparkling once more.

"We'll come and get you here in little bit, kiddo," Sirius smiled. Harry nodded, knowing his words to be true ones, before turning back to the door, opening it, and exiting.

As he tentatively descended the spiral staircase towards the hall, nerves gripped the Potter heir. What would this person…this 'professor'…be like?

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Alexis Summerlin exited her office with a sigh. She still had some papers to grade, but she supposed it could wait until tomorrow, taking care of a child for Dumbledore seemed like a more interesting thing to do with her time. Since working at Hogwarts, she barely ever saw children below the age of eleven. Dumbledore had said the boy was well behaved and that he highly doubted there would be any problems, and that he was sure she would enjoy his company. How he assumed this, she was not sure…a curious thing, though, was that he had not given her a name. She guessed it was not a big deal, but…it _was _curious.

She was a young professor of twenty-six. Not _the_ youngest to teach at the school, but young none-the-less. Fully clad in her wizarding robes, the shoulder-length strawberry-blonde haired, clear blue eyed woman took the hall in a purposeful stride. Better to find the kid and have him safe and sound in her chambers, than out and about when the all the students return from Hogsmeade!

Descending a flight of stairs and rounding a few corners throughout the corridors, she rounded a last one and met a sight that stole her breath…

_No way…_ she thought to herself, nearly tripping over her own feet as she placed a hand on the stone wall to prevent herself from falling from shock. Her mind buzzed with thoughts as her gaze settled and focused completely on the child not ten feet from her…

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Dumbledore had not lied, the person before him, who Harry took for the Professor for she had robes that were a lot like McGonagall's - who had come to their house a few times - , had appeared around the corner not ten seconds after he had entered the hall. And she was…a torrent of emotions, each one different from the last, each falling on Harry in waves…but one was the most prominent, and that one was astonishment, bordering on disbelief.

Seeing as how the woman didn't seem in anyway capable of moving from her position by the wall, a nervousness struck Harry…but he found himself walking towards her anyway. Why he was nervous, he was uncertain, but that did not stop the fact that it was settling in the pits of his stomach. Stopping a good three feet from her, her gaze never leaving his face, the Potter heir drummed up his courage and said,

"…Erm…H-Hello…"

"Oh…" she breathed shakily, seeming to have just taken her first breath in minutes as her hand came up and covered her mouth and she gradually lowered herself to his level. Outstretching her other hand she ran it slowly, trembling, affectionately, through Harry's mess of raven-colored hair, briefly revealing his lightening shaped scar before his hair fell back in messy place, covering the mark once more as her hand came to rest on his cheek, it finally steadying at the contact of skin. "James…" she whispered, her eyes trailing over his features little by little, unnerving the boy slightly, before clear blue met fascinating emerald. Lowering her hand from her mouth, glimmers of tears collected in her eyes as she smiled kindly, more than fondly, at him, removing her hand as she murmured, emotion evident in her voice, "Lily…"

Harry's voice left him as he stared, felt, and listened to her. She had known his parents…why else would she be acting as strangely as she currently was? He felt like saying something…anything…but his throat was tight. His ability for speech had left since he had first greeted her, and the ailment had only worsened there after. She stared at him a good few more seconds, her emotions running at a remarkable speed, Harry barely able to catch affection and relief in their midst, before she sighed softly, no longer as shaken as she had been just minutes before. Bringing her hands up to her face she wiped the tears from her eyes that had been threatening to fall, and chuckled shaking her head as she lowered them once more, smiling warmly at Harry.

"…Wow…I don't think I've ever been such a _baby_ about things before," she informed him truthfully. "And I can't remember when I've _ever_ been so rude, I haven't even told you my name…I'm Alexis—well, Professor Summerlin, really. But you can call me Alexis, if you'd like, you're not old enough to be a student of mine."

Harry merely stared at her, not just because his speech was missing, for it most certainly still was, but because even if he _'had'_ the ability to speak right then, he was at a loss of how to respond to her.

"You're Harry, aren't you?" she said, her words more of a statement than an inquiry. Harry took a breath, pushing away the assailment of emotions that had flooded through him from her since she had rounded the corner, and nodded once, tentatively.

A tender smile touched her lips at this. "You've grown so much…" she murmured, more to herself than to him. "And you look _so much_ like James, I can hardly believe it! But you're eyes are Lily's…there's no way I'd forget those eyes..."

Harry's mind was alight with questions, but he still had yet to regain control of his vocal cords. The last thing he had imagined about the professor he was to meet was that he/she would be _anything_ like the person before him.

Concern, with a bit of uncertainty, entered Alexis' eyes as she gazed at him, realizing finally that he had been silent ever since greeting her…

"Oh, I'm sorry, Harry! Have I scared you? I bet you've never had anyone do anything like this to you before… Heh, I doubt Sirius would have let anyone. He was always awfully protective of James, about as much as James was of him, which is probably why it took him so bloody long to accept Lily into James's life. So I highly doubt he 'wouldn't' pass that protectiveness onto you… I mean, wait—Sirius _'is'_ your guardian…isn't he?" This time she was not so sure of the validity of her words. She had known Harry was a Potter, but she did not honestly know if he was being raised by Sirius, like had been mandated in James and Lily's will…or not…

A small smile began tugging at Harry's lips…she had certainly described his Padfoot well…

"…And Remus," he replied softly, his vocal cords finally falling back under his control, using the man's given name seeing as how he did not know whether or not she 'knew' his Uncle Moony's nickname. "No…you…erm, didn't scare me…just…surprised me some."

"He speaks!" she exclaimed, a grin coming to her lips as she stood. "You had me worried there for a second…"

Harry smiled sheepishly…shyly.

"Merlin and Agrippa…Remus, too?" she said, shaking her head. "I'm amazed you're such a quiet, sweet kid. Being raised by _one_ Marauder is one thing…but two?" She chuckled at this.

Harry wondered what could be funny about being raised by both Sirius _and_ Remus, but he decided against asking.

"Well, I'm pretty sure Dumbledore didn't ask me to come down here to just stay with you in the halls…here, we'll go back to my chambers. It'll be more comfortable there," she sighed, glancing briefly in the direction from where she had come before returning her gaze to the boy before her. The students were due back anytime from Hogsmeade, and she would much prefer it if the boy was not spotted by curious eyes.

"…Okay."

Smiling softly at him, she outstretched her hand for him to take, which he slowly did after starring at the appendage for a few seconds. Harry was rarely around girls, other than Mrs. Weasley, who was a lot older than him, and Ron's sister Ginny, who was a year younger. He had never held a girl's hand before, and it was a drastic change from the hands of his Guardians. The professor's hands were soft, smooth, delicate…it was…different…yet…very nice.

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Severus Snape declined the chair Dumbledore had offered for him to sit in. Standing had always been his preference, the Headmaster knew this, but that never stopped Dumbledore from offering every bloody time.

"The Dark Lord called an abrupt meeting early this morning…" Severus began smoothly. "To take count of how many of us _hadn't_ been caught, to hear _how_ we hadn't, and to inform us of what course of action he would be taking thanks to last night's…change in plans… He is currently located somewhere in Albania. He summoned us to a place far from where he is situated for he suspects a spy within the midst, but told us enough to know the country," the Order's resident spy continued before pausing to allow a thin smile become slightly apparent on his lips. "To say the least, the efforts of the Order last night certainly angered him farther than I have yet see. His plan had been to use Potter's blood along with dark magic to regain his true body…"

Understanding washed over Remus. He had known, thanks to Xantos, that Voldemort had wanted Harry for the boy's abilities…for his being an Elemental. The dark wizard had wanted to be able to use him for his own means, but he had also known that the chance Harry went along with that plan willingly was as likely as Sirius becoming chummy with Severus. The amber-eyed man had wondered why Voldemort had not just decided to rid himself of Harry when the boy had defied him that night, Elemental or not. Blatantly telling him that he 'would not' go along with the Dark Lord's wishes. Remus had not understood why Voldemort had been somewhat patient…but now the puzzle pieces fell into place, finally forming the picture. Voldemort wanted Harry, not only to have an Elemental on his side, but to have his body back with higher level of magical blood flowing through him. Not being granted with Elemental powers from it, those were Harry's and Harry's alone, but at least getting a lot of the benefits Elemental blood came with.

Dumbledore and Sirius also had looks of understanding, though Remus did not fail to notice that the knowledge of Voldemort's plan for Harry brought a look of controlled anger into his friend's blue-grey eyes. Severus kept his gaze on Dumbledore, acting as though the other two men were either not present, or were too insignificant to spare a fleeting glance.

"He is searching for another suitable host, and then will be recruiting new Death Eaters to keep the count up before he regains his true body and can break into Azkaban."

The aging wizard nodded, he had believed Tom to do such a thing. The Slytherin heir had a lot to take into account now that the tables had been turned on him… But, in honesty, other than the fact that Voldemort would be acquiring new recruits in due time, there was not terribly much to worry about on the light side's part, Dumbledore knew. Forcibly stopping wizards from willingly joining Voldemort was not an option after all. And seeing as the man's recruiting could attract unwanted attention, the likelihood he would achieve much was slim…

"Greyback and his group of werewolves-" Remus's eyes darkened at the mention of the man, but no other reaction escaped him…only Sirius had noticed. "-are aiding him in getting new recruits and finding his next suitable body to possess. His previous one will not hold out much longer…which only adds to the anger he has for not being able to use Potter's blood to revive his former body and a great level of power…" The Head of Slytherin House delivered all this information in the same silky tone of voice.

"…What about Malfoy?" Sirius inquired with forced civil-ness in his voice. Severus shifted his cold black gaze to the two men for the first time since beginning his report.

"In Azkaban, last I saw. Maybe some of us should pay more attention when the Headmaster speaks at Order meetings," was his sneering response, satisfyingly earning the gritting of teeth from the Black.

Knowing that, for a while now, his friend has been a hair's breath away from raining an all out onslaught on Snape, Remus interjected,

"We mean Draco."

Something unreadable crossed the potions masters eyes, but it was gone as quick as it had come, leaving suspicion in its wake.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked evenly.

"Something has come to our attention, Severus…" Dumbledore sighed, bringing all eyes back to him. "Something, as a Godfather, I believe you should know and have a say in…"

Severus said nothing, but nodded once, cautiously. What could they know about his Godson that he did not…?

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Harry's mind was going a mile a minute as they walked; he had so many questions that they all seemed to jumble together. Someone else who had known his parents, someone else who actually 'knew' his guardians…and he did not even know 'how'! He was surprised at himself for not bursting with an interrogation right then and there, but he supposed her emotions were what kept him at bay. They were not so violently assailing her at the moment, but they were there, and Harry contented himself with just feeling them. Not to much later the two arrived in front of a door that Harry was sure had not appeared until they stood in front of it.

Just as the professor was unsheathing her wand, to unlock the door no doubt, a voice said from behind them,

"Hello, Professor Summerlin. You said that essay was due on Monday, right? …Hey, who's that?"

Having been open to solely Alexis's feelings at the time, he had not sensed the student approaching, and got a double dose of surprise; his own, and Alexis'.

Both all but yelped as they whipped around, hands separating as the strawberry-blonde promptly stepped in front of Harry.

"Who?" she asked the third year Hufflepuff, acting as though she did not have anyone with her…a little childish of her, she knew, but it had been the first answer that had come to mind. Harry, however, after closing his 'empathic door' to enough to reduce the emotions around him to a very dull roar, stuck his head out promptly after Alexis' words left her mouth, causing the professor to close her eyes and release a deep sigh before opening them slowly.

"Him," the student replied, her grin evident in her voice. "Is he your son?"

"Merlin, no. Just the son of a friend of mine, and yes, the essay is due Monday," Alexis said, acting as though this whole exchange was natural, and that she had not just been trying to hide Harry. Said boy withdrew from the student's view once more…what was that all about?

"Oh, okay. Thanks…" the girl said, barely hiding a smile. "…Have a good day, professor."

"You too, Miss Tonks."

And with that, the girl departed, leaving Alexis to chuckle with relief as she shook her head. That could have turned out worse.

"Sorry about that, Harry," she whispered, turning back to the boy, who was staring at his shoes. He nodded, looking up to meet her eyes; the clear blue seemed weary.

"It's okay…" he replied softly. She ruffled his hair some, making him look even more like a kid-James than he had previously.

"Come on, I've got a good bit to show you, and I bet you've got some questions for me," she grinned as she stood, magically unlocking her door before proceeding to open it.

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"Yesterday's events went well for the most part, I must say, thanks to your Godson," Dumbledore began, believing this to be the best way to begin. How exactly did one inform a parent, guardian, or Godparent that their child was not just an everyday wizard, but an Elemental? Well…he had done it well with the two Marauders before him, but with Severus, who's Godson had not been in danger of Voldemort his since before birth… Yes, best to start the way he had.

Severus was silent for a few beats. His Godson had aided in saving Potter? Or better put, a _Malfoy_ had helped a _Potter_?

"…How?" he inquired finally.

And so the Headmaster recounted Harry's story…and for the first time in Severus' history of being a spy for the Order, he allowed himself to lower into a chair across from Dumbledore's desk, at a loss for words.

"He's an Elemental," he breathed, more to himself than to Dumbledore, but the elder wizard nodded none the less. An Elemental! Draco! The thought of that even being 'possible' had never even crossed Severus' mind. Sure, he could see Merlin allowing a Potter to be endowed with the magic of an Elemental, _Potter's_ always got _'whatever'_ they wanted, but to allow the same for a Malfoy, who were natural Dark Wizards? The thought was mind-boggling, even for one as intelligent as Snape…

"As yesterday has informed us, the boy has, if even only a speck, _'some'_ light in him. It would be my wish that Draco and Harry had more interaction, that they could—"

"No…" Severus said thoughtfully. Though, for those _open_ to the conversation, it was obvious that the Potions Master had not been answering in the negative to Dumbledore.

"What?" Sirius asked accusatorily, hoping and believing to have caught the greasy-haired man in the act, proving him to be a wizard for Voldemort this whole time. "Scared that having Malfoy around Harry will change him to the Light for _good_?" the Animagus grounded out, a fierce grin on his face.

Severus sent a biting glare in the man's direction, "Perhaps it's _you_ that doesn't want Draco to turn Harry _Dark_."

Sirius looked as though he had been punched in the gut, and Severus sneered before returning his attention to Dumbledore. Remus reflexively grabbed the arm Sirius was inching towards his wand pocket, shaking his head at his friend. This was neither the time nor place.

"What do you mean 'no', Severus?" Dumbledore inquired, acting as though the brief dispute before him had never transpired, and that their conversation had not been interrupted.

"Potter knew…" Severus sighed, closing his eyes, seeming to be having a mental argument.

"Harry?" the headmaster offered uncertainly, though knowing it was only a matter of time before the man elaborated.

"_Xantos_," he finally said, onyx eyes locking with no-longer-sparkling blue, the name venom on his tongue. Remus and Sirius shared a glance. "He knew Draco was an…an Elemental. That's why he… If _I _would have known… I wouldn't have…"

"What are you talking about?" Remus asked calmly, hoping to bring the man's running thoughts into better focus.

Severus sighed once more, seeming to collect his thoughts. So many revelations, so much to think about… "The Dark Lord _did_ speak of Draco," he began hesitantly, before regaining control. "The Malfoy line has always been loyal to the darkness, so he obviously wants Draco to follow the same path. With Lucius in Azkaban he asked me if I would be able to continue his pre-Hogwarts schooling…"

"And you said you couldn't..." Dumbledore finished knowingly, sadness in his eyes. "Because the school-year had already started."

Severus nodded. "If I had known then the opportunity taking him in would offer…"

"There was no way you could have," Remus frowned.

"How does Xantos tie into all of this?" Sirius asked, angry enough since the arrival of Snape, and the mention of his late friend's cousin not helping his seething mood.

"I hadn't thought terribly on it at the time," Severus continued to Dumbledore. "But Potter had been quick to offer himself as a tutor once I declined."

"And Voldemort went along with this?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, it took some convincing, but he got the job. It all makes sense now… He must have caught Draco in the act last night."

"Is there no way you can go and tell him you've changed your mind?" Sirius inquired, hoping there was, but earning himself an 'are you _daft_' look from both his friend _and_ Snape.

"The Dark Lord would be more than suspicious if I went back with a change of mind."

"If indeed Xantos does know, and Voldemort failed to mention any of it, then that means Xantos has not divulged his knowledge. And I highly doubt he will anytime soon…" Dumbledore said pensively.

"What makes you think so, sir?" Remus asked curiously, and blue eyes glanced over to meet amber.

"Xantos is anything but unintelligent. To have a true trump card is a rare occurrence, and only a daft person would show it to the other players with such ease. He'll keep the knowledge to himself until the time telling would benefit him most," Dumbledore explained, Remus nodding in understanding. "By no means can we breathe a sigh of relief, but at least, for the time being, things are not as drastic as they could be."

The room fell into silent contemplation. Things, under the circumstances, were better than they could have been…that much was true. 'Voldemort' did not have his hands on the second Elemental. But that did not mean terribly much. Xantos had the second Elemental. Xantos…and only Merlin knew what damage _he_ could to accomplish.

"Wait…don't you get Draco on most holidays?" Remus said after a few minutes, looking over at Snape. "I mean…I've seen him around the school from time to time during Christmas and summer." The Potions Master blinked a few times, the information registering. Lucius and Narcissa had always been out and about doing something or rather during the holidays. They had hardly ever spent them with their son, and it had become customary for the young blonde to spend most holidays with Snape.

"He does," the spy confirmed, almost surprised at the truth. Dumbledore's eyes regained their usual sparkle as a smile came to his face.

"Then we have a chance…a chance to have the boy desire to fight on our side rather than on Voldemort's. A chance for him to interact with his other half…"

Snape inwardly winced at the prospect of have his Godson interact, on friendly terms, with a Potter. It was…abysmal…though he knew there was no way around it. Sadly…fate had dealt its cards… Remus, on the other hand, was no where near upset. This was in both boys' best interest. Elementals' powers were nearly doubled when in the presence of the counterpart, and if their powers were to combine…the prospects were immeasurable. Sirius knew the same, even though he did have to admit he was exited as Snape was.

"We won't have as much time with him as Xantos will, for he'll only be in Severus' care during holidays, but some time is better than no time at all. Hopefully the influence will have an affect," Dumbledore sighed, the three men before him nodded in agreement. With both Elementals on the light side their chance of winning the war was almost assured.

And so the planning began. Christmas was, after all, not too horribly far away…

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Harry sat on a long sofa glancing curiously around the room. It was a sitting room, the first room one entered from the door. From what Harry could tell, the place looked like a smaller version of a house. Other than the sofa he was sitting on, there was a bookshelf against the opposite wall, a fish tank on a stand with multiple colored fish swimming around, three lamps on various stands, a recliner near the bookstand, and a coffee table between the recliner and the sofa. A hall to the right of the sofa led to the rest of the living space, a bedroom and bathroom, as Miss Alexis had shown him. She had then told him to sit and make himself at home. Harry was not exactly sure how one 'made themselves at home', so he just settled with sitting and glancing around.

Many pictures hung on the walls, most moving, some not. A particular one caught Harry's wandering emerald eyes. It was Miss Alexis, but as a teenager. To her left, in the picture, were teenage Remus and a boy Harry tried to recall but could not for the life of him, and to her right, in order, were Harry's teenage mother, father, and godfather. All the boy's were grinning, a mischievous glint in their eyes, and the two girls were merely smiling, though his mother seemed to be inching away from his father. Glancing around to make sure he was still alone, Harry hopped off the sofa and enclosed the gap between himself and the picture, to get a better look at it. A smile graced his lips. They all looked so happy.

"Here we go," a voice said from somewhere behind him, footsteps accompanying. Harry all but fell over backwards in his attempt to reach the sofa before she returned. His luck made it to where he was half on/half off the sofa when she reentered the sitting room. He looked like a child with his hand caught in the cookie-jar, and she could not help but chuckle. "Are you alright, Harry?"

"Y-Yeah," he replied embarrassedly, a blush creeping onto his cheeks, as he scrambled the rest of the way back onto the sofa. "S-Sorry, I just…"

"No, it's fine, hun. I didn't literally mean for you to stay 'sitting'," she smiled warmly as she took a seat next to him, two books on her lap and a small box on the top. The latter of these things she set to the side. "What were you looking at?" Though still embarrassed for what he had done, Harry answered,

"That picture."

"Oh, I see." Her eyes gained a faraway look in them. "That was our fourth year…before…" she trailed off, her gaze coming into focus as she looked back at him with a sad smile. Harry wanted to press her into continuing her sentence, but he did not want to make her dislike him. He deeply enjoyed her kindness and did not want to risk loosing it. He would let 'that' question fall, but he had one eating at him that needed answered.

"Who's that?"

Alexis glanced reluctantly back at the picture, at the person Harry was pointing to, then back at the raven-haired child. Did he not know?

"Xantos Potter, James's cousin…_your_ cousin. Well…second cousin, really." She seemed surprised that this was information Harry did not know about.

"Xan…Xantos?" Harry repeated, realization dawning in his eyes. He 'had' seen the person before…in his dreams…though it had been a while. "He's _real_??" Alexis looked at him oddly, as though regarding him for the first time.

"Of course, he's as real as you and me."

"Is he…alive?"

Alexis took a breath, pondering over her answer. Xantos was alive, yes, but dead to her and the rest of the light side. Why had Sirius and Remus never discussed him with Harry? Why avoid the subject that would eventually come up?

"I'm…not sure. I haven't seen him for years, so…" she trailed off again, willing Harry to be satisfied with the answer she supplied. For it was the truth of sorts…

Harry's emerald eyes studied her clear blue for a few moments before nodding and glancing down at his hands. He wondered if he had asked too much… "Oh…"

"Here, why don't you look through one of these?" she suggested, handing one of the books over. Harry looked over at it, then up at her. Being greeted with an encouraging smile, Harry took it, and began to flip though it. It was a photo album.

There were so many pictures; ranging from the Hogwarts grounds, London, Diagon Ally, Hogsmeade, and even outside houses and places Harry did not recognize. Every now and then as he turned the pages, Alexis would explain a picture. "That was when James and Sirius had the whole of Slytherin sing Ave Maria on their heads with yellow polka dotted robes on", "That's Lily and I at my house", "That's the priceless look on James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter's faces when they realized it was 'us' that had pulled a prank on 'them'".

Harry's smile widened as the minutes dragged on and they moved on to the second photo album. The slight rift that had occurred earlier disappearing into the past as the two enjoyed the others company and rifled through the book. "There's James and Lily on there wedding day, Sirius grinning like the idiot he is, and here's Lily pregnant with you getting ready to slap James for suggesting they name you after Sirius." At this Harry could not help but laugh.

"Really??"

"Heh, yeah, she was feisty when she wanted to be, that Lily. I was her best friend, I'd know. The only person I think who could honestly scare James into obedience," Alexis smirked. Harry grinned. "And lastly I've got pictures of you."

Harry glanced at each of the pictures; him with his godfather…who looked like Christmas had come early in each picture that he held him in…him with his father, his mother, his Uncle Moony. Seeing it all gave Harry a sense of happiness as well as emptiness. He would never meet the smiling couple in the pictures. But he knew they had loved him, and that now he had two people who felt that same amount of love toward him, and that in itself filled most of the void…gave him a sense of peace.

"You took a lot of pictures," Harry remarked as they closed the book.

"Yeah, I used to be really camera crazy," she smiled as she set the two books down on the coffee table.

"How did you all meet?" Harry inquired curiously.

"Well, Lily and I lived across the street from each other, and had been friends since before I can remember. We found out we were witches on the same day," she informed him as she sat back, shifted her gaze to him.

"So you knew my Aunt Pe—"

"Petunia? That old hag? Yes," Alexis finished for him, a darkness in her eyes. Harry could not help but grin.

"What about my dad and the rest?"

"We all met our first year here. Didn't become friends till about second year," She explained; Harry nodded. Padfoot and Moony had explained all about Hogwarts, how many years one attended, the two major kinds of tests, the houses… "So…now I've got something to give you."

Harry's eyes lit up as she reached over and picked up the small box and handed it to him. The box jumbled about, something that had not dawned on him that it had been doing before. Tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, a grin spreading across her face, she set the box down on Harry's lap.

A smile tugged at Harry's lips, but he fought it back as he glanced over at Alexis. "Can I…open it?"

"Sure, go ahead!"

And so he did. Something shimmery shot out and without even realizing what he was doing, Harry's arm shot up above his head, grabbing a hold of whatever had escaped, earning a gasp from the professor next to him. Bringing his hand back down, surprised at his own speed, the Potter heir took a firm hold of the object between his thumb and forefinger, and gazed meticulously at it.

"A golden snitch…" he whispered captivatedly, more to himself than to the other occupant of the room. He had seen pictures, been told stories, played a makeshift game with Padfoot with enchanted golf balls, but he had never seen a real one up front. _And I caught it…I caught the snitch! _

"Wow…" Alexis murmured. "That was James' lucky snitch…_no one_ was ever able to catch it but him…" Harry sheepishly shifted his gaze to the woman next to him, not expecting to hear those words.

"This was my daddy's? And you're…giving it to me?"

Alexis bit her quivering lip, and nodded.

"Thank you, Miss Alexis!" And with that, snitch in hand, Harry wrapped his arms around Alexis' middle and hugged her. It took her a few seconds to realize what Harry was giving her, before returning it.

"You're welcome, hun! I think you deserve to have it."

Harry was smiling happily as he resurfaced from the hug, gaze returning to the fluttering snitch in his hand.

"How'd you get it?"

"James gave it to me for safe-keeping when you three went into hiding. Said he knew I, unlike his friends, wouldn't play with it and ruin it," Alexis sighed, looking at the snitch forlornly. "Being the picture-taker, I knew how to make sure things stayed like new."

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off as a knock was heard at the door. Both heads snapped in the direction of the noise, then back at each other. Alexis shrugged with a smile, before standing as another knock was heard...

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**A/N:** And there you have it, the end of chapter thirty-two. :-) I hope it was worth the wait. –Nod, nod.- A lot was brought to the light in this chapter, some things easily noticeable, and others not so easy. How'd you all like the cover for the 7th book? I was grinning like crazy, it really made things 'real'...the series is almost over. –Sniffles slightly.- But we will move on! Fanfiction will still exist!

Onto the 'Curiosity Filler' for this chapter:

"If one of the golden trio were to die in the seventh book, and you were given the job of picking...who would it be?"

Thanks for taking out the time to read my fic, and I hope to continue to hold your attention with updates as time goes on. Thanks for all the reviews, I appreciate all of them.

Till next time...

-Chloe

A.K.A – Japanime1


	33. Old Lingering Feelings

**Disclaimer:** Nope, I still own zilch. –Sobs.-

**Chapter Summary:** Sirius finds himself more than a little surprised...

**A/N:** Oh my goodness…it has been over a YEAR hasn't it?! I can't express how sorry I am. x.x M'sure you all want to thoroughly kill me. Well…I suppose I can start with the fact that I got taken up into the world of Harry Potter Role Playing, and could not find myself enough will to tear away to finish writing the next chapter of my story. Ugh…and then Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out, and I was depressed for the longest time, because…it was all…over… And then, on top of that, there was my first year of college which is now officially over and which demanded tons and tons of my attention.

I know this might not all be classified as enough of an excuse from all of you, but…well…maybe at least _some _of you can understand what I was going through. –Sighs.- Again, I apologize profusely, and I hope this chapter is worth the horrendously long wait. xP Maybe yes, maybe no, but…well…we shall see, eh? For those of you still with me from the beginning, THANK YOU, for any new come-ers…THANK YOU, too. And for those somewhere in the middle, I love you just as much.

While I may have my ups and downs, I never plan on dropping this story…ever. I love it far too much. And with that…I am BACK, you guys, and will be answering all incoming reviews! –Grins brightly.- Now onto that long awaited chapter…

Chapter 33: Old Lingering Feelings

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They say time heals all wounds, that with time you can get over just about anything that has been done to you. They say that with time comes the 'all forgiver' who can finally pardon the person who has wronged them in some way or other. Apparently the creator of these statements had not taken into account one Severus Snape, one Sirius Orion Black, and one Harry James Potter.

After all, the wrongs that had been done to Severus Snape, had yet to be forgiven by the greasy-haired man. He still hated Sirius and everyone associated with him as much as he had while in school, and the same could be said for Sirius in Severus' direction. Wounds that time was very unlikely to ever heal… Harry was a different case than the other two, of course. He did not hold any hatred for anyone, really. Fear, dislike, and those of that kind, yes, but definitely not hate.

No, the wounds Harry had were no where near the same of Severus' and Sirius'. Harry had been abused by his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, to the point where it had taken him more than while to trust both his guardians completely and fully…and that was without mentioning how wary he _'still'_ was around new people he met. He was a wary child, and that was probably something that would never leave him completely. A wound that while might have started to gradually heal, the internal scar…that imprint…that unconsciousness, would forever be with him.

Perhaps time _'does'_ heal all wounds, but scars are always left. Hopefully one day those will start to disappear on their own…time, itself, would tell.

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"I don't think this is such a good idea, Remus…I mean…" the Black trailed off, shaking his head as the two proceeded through the corridor toward the office Dumbledore had told them.

"…Are you saying you don't trust Harry?" the Lupin asked, shifting his gaze to his friend as the two walked.

"No…no, that's not it at all. I trust Harry fully, I know he would never let himself be swayed to Voldemort's side…I just…it's just…" Sirius frowned before glancing over at Remus. "I don't trust _Malfoy_, I don't trust Malfoy at all, even _'if'_ he had a momentary change of heart to help Harry out. No one changes in a second. I was the way I was since birth, but m'sure that is not the case with him, m'sure of it."

The lycanthrope silently pondered over this, knowing that the canine Animagus had a point…no matter how much anyone would prefer to doubt it. "Well –"

"And then with Xantos being the one to _'train'_ him! Any speck of Light that the kid had will be put out before Christmas even _'gets'_ here!" interrupted Sirius angrily, as if finally letting all the thoughts he had had while up inside Dumbledore's office out of his system.

"I know what you mean, Pads…" Remus nodded, effectively calming his friend somewhat. "But no matter what, no matter how small a chance we have to be a good influence on Draco, we have to take it. We have to let _Harry_ be a good influence." He paused for a moment before continuing with, "Granted, there'll always be the chance that Draco, himself, will be an influence on Harry, but…but we just have to hope we're raising him well, that we have done a good enough job that any Darker influence will just bounce off."

Sirius heaved a resigned sigh. "Guess this means we'll be spending at least _some_ of our holidays with Snivellus for company," he muttered begrudgingly.

"Don't tell me that that was what this was all really about, Siri."

"No, it wasn't…but it _was_…_slightly_ a part of it… Slightly."

Remus John Lupin could not help but roll his eyes and heave a sigh, himself. Sirius never changed.

The day was a bright one. The sun streamed in brilliantly through the windows of the corridors, lighting up everything thoroughly. There was even a lovely breeze that kept things nice and cool, carrying with it the sounds of the many various voices of students making their way back to school from Hogsmeade village. Everyone loved these Saturdays for that reason among many; rainy Hogsmeade days were extremely rare, something for which the students were always grateful.

The two long-time friends soon found themselves on the Defense and History floor of Hogwarts Castle, and in front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's chamber door. They had to admit that, only an hour or not, they already missed their Harry dearly, that had yet to – and probably never would – get over having almost lost him forever. Being away from him at all, let alone for long periods of time, was no where near being on their list of things to get done.

And with that, Sirius stepped forward and knocked on the door a few times. The two did not have to wait terribly long, only a little shuffling could be heard inside before the door was promptly pulled open.

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A day had not gone by before Xantos had decided to start training and teaching Draco. After their lengthy conversation, the eldest living Potter had proceeded to take the child outside to see all that the kid had _'said'_ he could do…in action. He did not push too terribly hard, he knew better than to strain the young boy, but he definitely wanted to set his sights on all of the powers first hand. After all, reading is one thing, seeing is totally another.

The platinum blonde had not exactly been ecstatic about the idea at first, afraid his mother might come home and see him, but Xantos had assured that that would not happen. As it were, he had been right, and as time progressed, showing off his powers became more and more fun. He even learned a few things that made using water not as draining as it usually tended to be.

Xantos was an interesting person, the silver grey eyed 6-year-old had to admit to himself, and he definitely knew how to make something that did not seem like fun in the past, seem very fun now in the present. He wondered if it would always be this way, or if things would ever change. He, sadly, did not have an answer for himself there, and it was not like he could read the dark golden-brown haired wizard's thoughts… But well…there was always hope, right?

Hope.

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"Alexis??" both men said in unison, equal looks of disbelief etched on their faces.

Said strawberry-blonde was unable to prevent the amused smirk that tugged at her lips. "I'm remembered! It's an honor, boys, really," came here teasing, good-natured reply as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was sure five years would have whipped your memories completely…well, at least somewhat."

Remus laughed at this before stepping forward and meeting the girl in an embrace. "Alexis! Merlin, it's so good to see you! It really has been too long," he finally said, regaining his voice after the initial surprise of seeing her. "Defense professor! Wow!"

"I know! Really!"

The grinning light brown haired werewolf released his old friend, who was also grinning, before glancing back at Sirius.

The Black was the only one of the three did not have a bright grin on his face, a rarity in and of itself. Instead, he seemed annoyed, if not a little sad about this meeting. Spotting this, Alexis' smile faltered a bit…she knew just as well as Remus did why Sirius was likely not the happiest person in the world to be seeing the girl.

"…Er," the lycanthrope cleared his throat uneasily, glancing between the two.

"Erm…hiya, Siri…" the girl greeted gently, bringing her hands to clasp behind her back a little uncertainly.

The bluish-grey eyed male looked at her long and hard for a moment, the tension about him something more than a little noticeable. But before he had even opened his mouth to say something in response, if he was even _planning_ on it, a happy squeal – evidently ignoring the tension completely, or else perhaps to happy to notice, sounded.

"Padfoot! Uncle Moony! You're back!" And a millisecond did not pass before the black elegantly haired man's legs were wrapped in a tight hug. Sirius' gaze dropped quickly to his Godson, whom he took no time to kneel down to hug properly.

"Course we are, Prongslet!" he greeted happily, all former tension in him disappearing at the sight of the young boy. "Couldn't very well leave you for a long time, now could we? No way!"

The grinning 6-year-old pulled away from the embrace and swiftly planted a soft, childish kiss on his Godfather's cheek, before dashing the few feet over to hug his Uncle Moony and repeat the whole process with him. Sirius smiled fondly, affectionately throughout the whole thing, before straightening himself up once more, Remus soon doing the same, as well.

"Look at what Miss Alexis gave me, look!" Harry exclaimed happily, lifting his hand to show off the Golden Snitch the Defense Professor had given him. All eyes drifted to the object in the young boy's hand.

"Is that…" Remus murmured, seeing the faintly etched initials of 'JP' on the ball.

"…It is…" Sirius murmured, leaning forward to get a better look at the thing. "Can I see it, kiddo?"

"Mmhmm!" the raven haired Potter replied, handing the gold ball to the man who proceeded to inspect it meticulously.

"Hey, er…why don't we all come inside, the students are due back any moment…" Alexis interjected, bringing the attention back to her. She smiled sheepishly at this.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, come on you two," Remus answered for them with a nod, following the girl into her sitting room, Harry coming after him, and Sirius begrudgingly entering last…though not without glaring daggers into the back of the Lupin's head.

Alexis took a seat on her sofa, Harry hopping up next to her while Remus plopped down next to the Elemental. With a sigh, the Black situated himself on one of the arm chairs.

"Isn't it great, Padfoot? It was my Daddy's!" The child was positively bouncing where he sat, and the dog Animagus could not prevent the smile that touched his lips.

"It's wicked, Prongslet. We'll definitely have to play a game of Quidditch when we get back home," he placed a subtle emphasis on these last words, directing them to Remus who merely diverted his gaze.

"Sirius…honestly. You _can't_ still hate me…" Alexis finally voiced, looking at the man with a sad gaze.

"Why not?" the Black retorted stiffly, speaking to her for the first time. Harry blinked a few times, confusion evident, his bright small slowly disappearing as he truly allowed himself to sense the feelings in the room other than his own, shifting his gaze to Remus, perplexed.

"It's okay, they'll work it out…" the werewolf mouthed to his young Charge, shaking his head for the Potter to just…dismiss this for now. They _'would'_ work it out…er…eventually…

"Because! I'm not in love with him anymore, Sirius! I haven't been for years now…it's over between us," she insisted. "You _know_ that."

"I don't care! You were…you were…" his voice shook briefly. What? 'The One'? How cheesy did _'that'_ sound? Horrendously. The first girl he had actually pondered dropping his 'player-life' for? The first girl he had seen as more than just a nice stress-relieving shag? Yeah…maybe once…maybe at one point, but he definitely did not see her as that anymore…not after she had cheated on him so terribly. And with _who_! Merlin and Agrippa! Not even after a million apologies.

He just…just could not trust her on any of what she said or promised. Granted, he had left and cheated on more than his fair share of girls while at Hogwarts, but he had never given his heart out like he had with Alexis… Maybe he had deserved it, maybe karma did indeed exist, but he did not care. "…I don't care, it doesn't even matter anymore. I can't forgive you, Summerlin. I just…can't. Might as well not even bother trying," he said, a coldness taking over his tone.

"But…Sirius…" It was her voice's turn to waver unsteadily, eyes beginning to shimmer a bit. She really was terribly sorry…she knew it had been a mistake, her worst one, because it had not really even been love she had felt for him…her true love had always resided with Sirius Black, but…well, Xantos had been one hell of guy at the game of seduction. Knew all the right words, all the right moves, all the right strategies to get what he wanted, just like Sirius and James, and, and…

"No," the bluish-grey eyed male growled, pushing himself up to his feet roughly. "Don't you _dare_ cry, you don't _deserve_ to." His eyes flashed before he spotted his Godson and gave him an apologetic look, not even bothering to look at Remus, before storming out of the Defense professor's chambers and out into the halls of Hogwarts, slamming the door behind him.

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Harry was left in a stunned silence. The emotions coming off his Godfather had been crazily complex. Anger, hatred, love, hurt, betrayal, and that was only to name the few Harry was able to recognize right of the bat. Hurt and anger had to have been the biggest, however, and the emerald eyed wizard was sure he had never, ever, seen the man that upset before. It was…well, it was bordering on scary. What had just…_happened_? Everything had been fine one moment, and had gone horribly wrong the next.

Remus was left in a similar state. Granted, he had known of Padfoot's feelings in regard to Alexis, but…apparently time had yet to heal that particular wound…that particular _'deep'_ wound. He felt terrible for Alexis, having known her true feelings about the whole thing and what had happened between her and Xantos, but…explaining to Sirius her sincerity in regards to her apology and affection for him would be close to impossible.

There was _no_ person more hardheaded that Sirius Orion Black. Or a person who held grudges so deeply other than him and Snape, and maybe even Xantos, himself. Amber eyes shifted from the door his best friend had just exited from, to Alexis, who had a single tear rolling down her face as she nibbled on her lower lip to stop it from trembling. For the first time in his life, the Lupin was at a loss of the proper thing to say.

Bringing a hand up, the 26-year-old girl wiped at her check to remove the tear, doing her best to control herself. She supposed she should have expected as much of a reaction from her former boyfriend…but she had not…or perhaps she had just…hoped... Not that that had apparently done much good. Forcing a small smile onto her face once she was sure she had gotten herself under enough control, she looked down at Harry who was looking up at her with a deep considerate sadness in his eyes…as if he knew exactly how she was feeling.

"I'm…sorry about that, Harry…" she murmured softly.

The Potter boy did not answer her, he merely through himself onto her and wrapped his arms around her neck tightly. "Don't cry, Miss Alexis…it's okay…Padfoot's just having one of his days, he has 'em with Moony, sometimes, too. I'm sure you really _are_ sorry for whatever you did…I _know_ you are…" he whispered softly into her ear.

The girl was thrown off for a moment, before new tears prickled at her eyes and she wrapped her arms around her best friend's son's frame, resting her forehead against his small shoulder. "…Thanks, Harry…" she said, barely above a whisper, after a few minutes of her own shoulder shaking some, though the boy heard her just fine.

Soon enough the two separated, and Harry seated himself next to Alexis once more, taking a hold of her hand comfortingly as his own guardians had done for him when he had needed it, happy to be able to do the same for someone else.

"I…umm…" Remus sighed, bringing a hand up to rub the back of his head embarrassedly, though more than a little proud of Harry for his understanding nature. "I really am sorry, Alexis…I had kind of…thought that maybe he…"

"It's okay, Remus…really," she smiled softly at him, appreciatively.

The Lupin returned the small smile before shifting his gaze to Harry. "You ready to go back up to the Hospital Wing with me, cub? No doubt Madam Pomfrey is having a cow that I'm taking so long…"

Harry nodded knowingly before sighing and looking back at Alexis. "Thanks for everything Miss Alexis. I really hope I get to see you again."

"Me too, Harry…me too."

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After both gave the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor a tight hug, Remus and Harry left Alexis' chamber, hand in hand, to begin the trek back up to the Hospital Wing. Hoping not only that Sirius would be there, but that Madam Pomfrey would at least let the Lupin go either today or tomorrow. After all…Remus certainly was feeling much better thanks to her various treatments.

"…Moony?"

"…Mmhmm, cub?"

"Why doesn't Padfoot like Miss Alexis? She's great! I like her bunches."

"Erm…" The lycanthrope pondered over his answer for a few beats. "It's not that he doesn't like her…I think he does, it's just…your Godfather can be pretty stubborn."

"…Oh…" Not that the 6-year-old understood.

"Let's just say that Sirius doesn't really take lightly to getting hurt by people he cares about. You'll understand better when you're older, cub."

Harry nodded somewhat and fell into silence for the rest of the walk. He did not completely understand, but it was clear he did not have to. One day he obviously would, but for right now it was okay that he did not. He just…really hoped Padfoot finally realized that Miss Alexis was really a good person, and that she really was sorry. If he did not, well…then the Potter would be unable to see her that often, and that would not be good at all. She was his Mummy's bestest friend! And fun, too!

The castle was steadily filling with students, but Remus was well versed in the secret passages of Hogwarts, and the pair found themselves in front of the Hospital Wing before long, being immediately greeted by one Madam Poppy Pomfrey.

"Merlin I was beginning to wonder of that meeting with Dumbledore would never _'end'_! You need your rest Mr. Lupin, Mr. Potter!" she fretted, ushering them both to their respective beds.

"Seriously, Madam Pomfrey, we really are feeling much better, I promise," the werewolf assured the woman, but sat himself down on his assigned bed anyway, to calm her, his young charge doing the same.

"Hmph…" She gave him a suspicious look before sighing. Remus had never lied to her before about how he was feeling in regards to health. "Maybe yes, but still…just a little more rest. You can both go home first thing in the morning."

"Alright, thank you," Remus smiled. The Healer nodded, glad that he was agreeing with her. And with that, she bustled off to her office.

The patients shared a little a soft chuckle before they relaxed onto their respective beds. As it were, Sirius was not in here. This did not worry Remus too much; he knew the Black's 'Separation Anxiety' issues in regard to his Godson would not allow him to stay away for long.

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At least they would all be leaving soon, going back hopefully in less than a day, and then things could go back to…his, Harry's, and Remus' version of normal, and no more memories of Alexis and what she had done to him would have to consume his waking thoughts.

Sirius had just needed to get away for a bit, that was all. Seeing Alexis again so abruptly had thrown him off for a bit…well, more like a lot, but he would not admit that to anyone, no matter how obvious he had made it seem. It took him a few moments of sitting on the Hogwarts Castle steps to realize he still had James' old trusty Golden Snitch still locked in his hand.

"…I miss you, Prongs…" he murmured to the ball, lifting it up to look at before shaking his head of building up emotions. "It'd be…a whole lot easier if you were still here for me to talk with…" He trailed off, lowering his hand and his gaze to the numerous steps beneath the one he was located on.

Granted, Remus was always a great person to talk with, but there had always been something comforting when he had had talks with James. He could remember the hazel eyed Potter completely, as if he had been alive yesterday, down to the exact way he sounded when he used to laugh. The comforting way he used to talk when the occasions called for it. Remembering was easy for him. He never forgets all the stupid things they used to do. Sure, for some people, it was probably harder to remember, but not for him…never for him.

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-_Flashback_-

_Sirius sat on the floor of the 7th Year boy's dorm, his back leaning against the side of Prongs' bed. The messy haired Potter, on the other hand, was sitting on his bed, legs hanging off the edge next to his best friend. They had been silent for going on an hour now, a rare thing for the two of them, regardless of how late the hour was._

"_Pads?" James Potter voice, lying himself down on the bed, legs still hanging off the side as he looked up at the top of his four-poster bed, resting an arm casually over his chest. _

"_Mmm?" _

"_I'm here for you…you know that right?" _

"…'_course I do, Prongs…" _

_Another pregnant silence ensued, the two boys just settling in each other's company. That was all the Potter heir had to say until the dog Animagus was ready to talk to him about what had happened…what had made him so upset. And it did not take very long for Sirius to do just that…it rarely ever did when it came to confiding in his best friend, who had to be the most unbiased ear to speak to. _

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Sirius glanced back up to trail his gaze around the Hogwarts grounds, before pushing himself back up to his feet. Many students were entering the castle, the sun starting to set in the sky. How long had he been sitting out here?

"Hey, look, it's Sirius!" came the familiar voice of one of the Weasley children.

Bill and Charlie Weasley approached the older wizard with grins on their faces, and Sirius found it comforting that he was able to form one himself. That was a start, James used to always say. "Hey, you two, just get back from Hogsmeade?"

"Naw," Charlie sighed, "I'm a fourth year, and Bill's a sixth…it loses it's novelty after a while, we only go every now and again. Percy starts next year and he's already complaining about not being able to go visit the 'historic sites' until third year."

"Yeah," the eldest Weasley offspring rolled his eyes. "Anyway, we just got back from visiting Hagrid," Bill stated.

"Oh, I see. Tell Percy sorry about you not being able to visit Hogsmeade and all that…guess he has me and my school friends to blame for that one."

"Why?" both boys asked in unison, curiosity raised.

"Haha, just a prank we pulled second year that banned all second years and lower from ever visiting the place again. McGonagall…well, she wasn't happy, to say the least."

"Wicked…must'a been huge, could you tell us about it?"

"Maybe next time, I've gotta get back up to the Hospital Wing," Sirius smiled apologetically.

"Awe…well…alright, then. Tell Harry and Remus 'Hi' for us! Mum and Dad sent a letter this morning saying they'd probably come and visit tomorrow to check up on Harry. Ron's been begging them non-stop," Bill rolled his eyes, but smiled none-the-less.

"Heh, sounds good, you guys can come on up tomorrow, too, if you want."

"Okay, cool, see you later!" And with that the brothers were gone, into the castle and proceeding up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower.

Sirius looked after them for a few beats before turning and proceeding up the stairs as well, but in the direction of the Hospital Wing.

Thankfully, he did not run into either Dumbledore – who set the whole thing with Alexis up, he knew it - , or Alexis, herself. He arrived in the Hospital Wing without so much as a single encounter. Sadly, however, Harry was not awake to receive his Golden Snitch when he arrived. The messy haired Potter had apparently drifted off to sleep at some point between the time he had arrived and the time Sirius had gotten back. The boy's Godfather moved over to him to tuck him in properly and to plant a tender kiss on his forehead before turning to his friend.

Remus, unlike Harry, was wide awake.

"…Hey," the bluish-grey eyed male greeted sheepishly, taking a seat in the chair in between the two beds.

"…Welcome back," the lycanthrope replied, picking up a bar of chocolate from the nightstand and handing it to the Black.

Sirius would have cracked a 'chocolate-addict' joke were he not feeling so uneasy, knowing his friend was not going to let the days events just slide without a discussion. Remus was not like that.

"You missed dinner."

"Ugh…" Sirius groaned, never having liked missing a meal, taking the offered chocolate. "…Thanks."

"Mmhmm…"

The Lupin waited patiently for his friend to finish what would be his dinner for the night, more likely than not, until they got home tomorrow, before saying, "…We need to talk."

And Sirius took in a deep breath, releasing it in a long heavy sigh.

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**A/N: **And that is it for chapter 33! Whoo, finally, eh? –Nervous chuckle.- I really hope you all can find it in your heart of hearts to forgive the long wait. T-T I promise it won't be anywhere _near _as long the next time around! Kk? Kk?! Erm…anyway, for those of you who would like to know, I have officially started my own forum on here for Prongslet and my other story The Beginnings, so that we can all chat and what-not. :-) I would love to talk with you all!

http: / www. fanfiction. net /myforums/Japanime1/407876/ (no spaces, obviously)

Also, I have updated my profile and added a poll. –Nod, nod.-

_Also_, I have gone back and edited ALL the chapters in this story, and added some stuff here and there.

Also, the next chapter of 'The Beginnings' will be coming out VERY soon, as well as the editing of all the chapters there, also.

Now then, onto this chapter's curiosity filler!

"How do you like Alexis? Think Sirius should ever forgive her, or definitely not?"

Just curious. xD

Another random question is whether or not you guys are happy to see me back? I'm kinda scared to find out. O.o

ANYWHO, enough with all of this, I believe I shall let you all go now. Until next time – which will not be too long, dear Constant Readers (dude…who says that all the time in their books? First correct answer gets all my love in the world).

-Chloe

-Japanime1


	34. Home At Last

**Disclaimer:** Nope, I still own zilch. –Sobs.-

**Chapter Summary:** After two days in the Hospital Wing, Harry and his Guardians return home.

**A/N:** As assured/promised, the wait has not been long in the least for this chapter. A very big thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter! Your forgiveness and happiness at my return has really been a lovely spirit lifter!

The only depressing thing was that…so many of you read my story and/or the latest chapter, and have me on all your lists and what-not, and yet…so few of you reviewed. I know you all don't _have_ to, there's no real obligation or anything, but…reviews really _are_ an author's key motivator. I suppose beggars can't be chooser, however, because lots and lots of you _do_ read my story (over 301,000 hits)…but…eh, never mind. I'm sure you all get my point. I'm not upset or anything, just kinda sad. I usually always respond and I _love_ hearing whether you like or dislike the chapters and/or stories… -Sighs.-

Either way, though! The show must go on! Onto the next chapter of Prongslet, yesh? :-)

Chapter 34: Home At Last

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Bluish-grey eyes stared at the floor of the Hospital Wing for a long while…knowing the whole time that Remus was still looking at him, fixing him with that ever steady amber gaze, waiting for Sirius to start to talk. But how was he supposed to start? And why did _he_ have to be the one to explain himself, anyway? He was not the person who was wrong here! It was Alexis, so why did Remus always somehow manage to make him feel so guilty when there was nothing to be feeling guilty _for_!

_Because there _is_ a reason to be feeling bad… _

Yes, despite not wanting to see it that way, Sirius knew that exploding like he had in front of his Godson had not been good in the least. He had most likely scared the boy, and all for something the kid knew nothing about…nothing at all. It was wrong to inflict such confusion in him like he had, not to mention exploding like he did in front of Remus…who had most likely not really been expecting such a reaction from the Black.

But, again…how was he supposed to start? …Well, he supposed there was always the obvious start…

"Er…sorry about…bursting like that, Moony...I guess I should have had a bit more…control," the Black sighed softly, finally looking back up at his friend, who was offering him a soft smile.

"It's alright, Siri…I guess I just hadn't honestly thought…or hadn't expected, really…Harry, either; not that he knew what to expect at all," the Lupin replied soberly. "I was pretty surprised to see her, too, you know…"

"Yeah…I know, mate. I owe Harry an apology, too," he paused for a moment before glancing down. "It's just…it hurts, you know? I know I never really talked with you about it before…" he trailed off apologetically.

"Mmm…you were pretty silent about the whole thing as far as I can remember in school…I always imagined you'd just talked about it with…you know…Prongs and…I don't know, kept up a face for the rest of the school…for the rest of us, like you usually did when something bothered you," Remus said softly.

"I…well, yes…that is kind of what I did, huh? I just…talked about it with James and…tried to make sure no one else thought it…hurt…at all…"

After all, he had been known by all in school, thirteen years old and up, as a player…as a no girl could resist him ladies man. He had cheated on plenty, left more, and had been just short of a one hundred percent womanizer come seventh year. So making sure no one besides himself, Alexis, and James knew how deeply the girl's betrayal had stung had been key…which at the time had included not talking about his true feelings on the subject with Remus…or anyone else, for that matter. But…it had definitely been more than a few years now, and as it were…he owed his friend at least some kind of explanation.

"Let's just say that, what she did would have equaled the equivalent of Lily leaving Prongs for Snivellus anytime after she became his girlfriend," Sirius sighed, glancing back up at the werewolf finally.

An understanding shone in the lycanthrope's amber eyes before he nodded slightly. "I never really…saw it like that…m'sorry, Pads."

A silence passed between the two friends before Remus finally said,

"You won't find me pushing you towards any forgiveness here, if you might have been worried about that, Siri. I think that should happen on your own terms…if ever," the Lupin said, watching the Black visibly relax somewhat. He knew Alexis was sincerely sorry for what she had done, but he also knew that that did not excuse her…and it excused her less if Sirius compared the act to Lily going with Snape instead of James.

"Thanks, Remus," and Sirius did sincerely appreciate it.

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Sleep is a beautiful thing. One gets to recuperate, rest, relax, and dream. Recuperation from the days events, rest to allow the body to ready itself for whatever tomorrow might bring, relaxation to ease the muscles and tension of the body, and dreams to add some enjoyment…or in some cases fear…to a rather peaceful night for the mind. Harry James Potter got all of these things as he slept, but thankfully his dream was no where near a fearful one.

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_-Harry's Dream.-_

_The clearing in the forest that the young Potter usually found himself in was a little different this time. The main difference was that the sun was not shinning high in the sky, like usual. In fact, it was barely shinning in the sky at all. It was, instead, very cloudy and soft rain fell on the ground all around the 6-year-old. The bright side, the Potter supposed, was that it was at least not a thunderstorm or something. And besides! Standing around in the rain, what with no lightening and all, was pretty fun! _

"_Hiya, Harry, ol' boy," came the familiar amicable voice of Xantos. The much shorter male swiftly turned around to great the man, a grin on his face, his usually messy head of hair much tamer as it was continuously matted to his head with the ever soft falling water. _

"_Xantos!" _

"_Sorry it's not as…sunny as it usually is. Kind of had _someone_," he emphasized this word as if knowing said person could hear him, "trying to take a look at my thoughts while I was re-creating this place and…it kinda ended up not turning out as I'd planned." _

"_What do you mean someone?"_

"_Heh…hey, kid!" he called out towards the woods behind Harry. "Come on out, my nosy little intervener." _

_And as if having been caught with his hands in the cookie jar a jaded Draco Malfoy came out from behind one of the numerous trees and approached the two. _

"_Draco!" Harry grinned, surprised, but not unhappy…the other boy was alive and well! Thank Merlin!_

"…_Potter," the silvery-grey eyed boy sighed, as if being out here had been the last thing he had wanted, blonde hair appearing a lot darker thanks to the water. _

"_What…I mean, how…I mean…why—" the young Potter began, not knowing where to begin. _

"_He's a spell hijacker is what he is!" Xantos said with a mock frown, "taking advantage of us people while we're concentrating on manipulating a spell. Not wicked awesome in the least, my friend, not wicked in the least." _

"_Well if you made it easy to read your mind, I wouldn't have to try so hard!" Draco remarked, sticking his tongue out at the man. _

"_Oh, so it's hard for you, _too_?" Harry asked, knowing first hand how difficult is was to sense any kind of emotions from his cousin. _

"_You _know_ him??" _

"_Of course I do! He's my—" _

"_Very good friend," Xantos interjected with a chuckle, earning himself an interesting look from Harry, but which the boy let drop. "And I have to shield myself all the time because my boss has mighty far reaches. Letting it down, even for just you two, would potentially reveal a little more than we'd like to him…" _

_Draco of course understood this completely and immediately, closing his mouth, killing his forming protest, however Harry on the other hand did not. _

"_You _really_ don't have a very nice boss…" the emerald eyed boy stated matter-of-factly. _

_Xantos offered the kid a light smile. "And that's saying little." The man known as Serpent to the better majority of Death Eaters and Voldemort, himself, stuffed his hands into the pockets of his Muggle jeans, glancing between the two boys before him. _

"_You know…if someone would have told me years ago that I'd be seeing not just one, but two Elementals in my life-time together in front of me…I'd have laughed my head off. The possibility would have seemed slim to none. And yet here you are," he sighed, shaking his head at himself, bringing a hand up out of his pocket to run through his soaking wet hair thoughtfully. _

"_We're not that different from everyone else," Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms across his chest. "So we can do some stuff without wands…so what? Everyone's got something. You can make spells, some can be animals, some can change their looks, some are monsters like vampires and werewolves and—" _

"_Werewolves aren't monsters," both Potters cut the Malfoy off at the same time in a huff, as if having had to say this numerous times over the years that it had become a reflex. Draco raised an eyebrow at the two of them. _

"Anyway_," Xantos cleared his throat, hazel eyes flickering to Harry before settling on Draco. "I suppose when you put it like that, you might not seem all that different than the rest, but you're not thinking about how…" he paused for a moment before sighing resignedly. "Remind me to explain this to you more thoroughly when you're a good bit older, mmkay?" _

"_Not fair!" both boys chorused indignantly, Harry crossing his arms as well. The two could have passed as twins with their identical positions and looks on their faces were it not for their different color hair, eyes, and skin tone...not that either of the two boys noticed. Xantos supposed, however, that at their magical core…'twins' was exactly how to label them._

"_It's a good thing I'm an unfair person, then, hmm?" the 26-year-old smirked. _

"_I might not be able to use my powers much in here, but I'll remember this when I wake up," Draco commented grumpily, somewhat ominously. _

"_What…do you guys live near each other?" Harry inquired, curiosity taking over his other feelings as he lowered his arms to his sides once more. _

"Near_ each other? Mum's letting him sleep in the room down the hall," Draco informed the other, rolling his eyes. "Just so he'll be able to teach me better." _

"_Oh, wicked, kinda like Padfoot and Uncle Moony do for me?" Harry asked, directing his question at Xantos. _

_The man's lips thinned somewhat, and were Harry able to read him – which he sadly was incapable of doing at this point – he would have gotten the biggest vibe that Xantos preferred no mention of 'Padfoot', but he finally forced a smile, "Pretty much." _

_Harry opened his mouth to go on about this new revelation before his cousin cut him off with, _

"_But that's not really what I brought you here to talk about tonight, Harry." _

"_Oh…" the younger Potter sighed, looking slightly crestfallen. _

"_Maybe on a different occasion, but today I'd love to talk about a few nights ago."_

"_How do you—"_

"_Draco told me." _

"_Oh…"_

_Draco glanced between the two, wondering to himself why Xantos did not tell Harry, like he had told him, about having _been_ there…about having been a Death Eater and what not. Hmm…maybe Harry already knew, and Draco just had not been here for that. _

_As it were, after a little bit of prodding, the emerald eyed Potter explained to Xantos what exactly had happened to him and Uncle Moony. Starting with the bookstore and the girl he had met there, to Dumbles asking him the same questions Xantos was asking him now. _

"_Should've figured that prying senile would have pestered for information…" the hazel eyed Death Eater muttered darkly. _

"…_What?" Harry asked confusedly. _

"_Nothing, forget it little Jamie," Xantos smiled softly before hunkering down a bit to ruffle the boy's hair affectionately, earning him a grin. _

_Harry had never been called that before, but it reminded him of his daddy, so it was nice. _

"_So everyone over there knows about Draco, here, then," he sighed, shifting his gaze to the blonde who gaped. _

"_W-wait does that mean…" the silvery-grey eyed boy began to splutter before Xantos shook his head._

"_No, you're in the clear, kid. No one over there would tell anyone you know, trust me…well, besides your Godfather, but—"_

"_Oh no! But Sev'll tell my father!" _

"_Calm down, no he won't…Snape has a good deal more tact than that, trust me." _

"_Hmm…"Draco looked skeptical, but he accepted this. _

_It was Harry's turn to glace between the two…what did Draco not want told? …Weird…_

"_At any rate, I think it's time Draco and I took our leave," Xantos said, trailing his gaze back to Harry. _

"_Aww, already?" _

"_I'm afraid so, we've been here a while." _

"_Alright…fine… I'll see you soon?" Harry inquired, lowering his gaze, scuffing his shoe on the moist grass. _

"_Every now and then yeah…maybe with Draco again next time."_

"_Cool!"_

"_I dunno, I don't think—" Draco began, not liking that idea. The less he saw Potter, the less likely it was for his parents to ever found out what he had done the other night. _

"_And of course he won't be the one choosing," Xantos smirked, taking the glowering blonde's hand, and Harry had to bring a hand up to stifle a giggle. _

"_See you later, little Jamie." _

"_Bye!" _

_And just like that the dark golden-brown haired Potter and the young Malfoy left the clearing and disappeared into the surrounding woods, Draco looking back briefly…as if slightly uncertain, before looking ahead once more as the two left. _

_The sky cleared up almost immediately, the sun coming out to shine brightly once again…that is, until the area began to dissolve into white…_

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Harry heard many different voices in the room, not just his Uncle Moony and Padfoot's. Awe…but he really did not want to wake up yet! He had really liked his dream! Well, that kind of went without saying; he usually always enjoyed his dreams with his cousin Xantos. Though he also knew on some level…they were not really dreams at all; just some different form of reality which Xantos somehow had the knowledge to create using his Spell Smith abilities.

"You just have _no_ idea how worried I was," came the voice of one easily recognizable Molly Weasley.

"…I'm sure we could imagi—" began Remus' voice.

"No…really, you couldn't. Let me tell you…" mumbled the voice of Arthur Weasley.

Harry blearily, slowly opened his eyes… only to be greeted for the millionth time with fuzzy, out of focus surroundings.

"Here you go, Harry," said a soft and gently young voice he did not really hear all that often…but which he most certainly did recognize. His glasses were soon pushed onto his face with the utmost care and timidity.

The world came into clear, crisp focus once more, and Harry turned his head to the side to see the brightly red haired Ginny Weasley standing at his side next to the bed, smiling shyly.

"Hi, Ginny," the young Potter greeted with a smile that could have lifted anyone's dreary mood.

This only earned him the sight of a very pink cheeked girl, an "I'm really glad you're okay," a swift, chaste kiss to his cheek, and a girl dashing away to hide behind her mother's dress.

The whole thing had passed in the span of six seconds, give or take, and it left a somewhat shocked and dumbfounded Harry James Potter in its wake. The emerald eyed boy blinked repeatedly a few times, before bringing a hand up to rest against his kissed cheek as if doubting he had even felt it…though he did feel some heat in his face.

"Ewwwwwwww, Ginny!! How could you give cooties to my BEST FRIEND?!" demanded the all-too-familiar voice of Ron Weasley, dashing to Harry's dazed side, waving his hand in front of the Potter's face. "Are you okay, mate? Are you _alright_? Fred and George told me cooties could _kill_ a boy!"

Harry blinked a few more times before turning his attention to the blue eyed red head. "I…er…yeah, I'm fine," he said, not sure how to respond exactly, but…well…he definitely did not _feel_ any worse for wear.

"Oh…thank _Merlin_," the 6-year-old Weasley sighed in relief.

And soon enough the adults in the room began to chuckle; these being Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. Apart from those four, Bill, Charlie, Fred and George Weasley could also be seen snickering to themselves. The only Weasley children who seemed to find no humor in the past three minutes was 'far-too-mature-for-this' Percy Weasley, 'my-best-friend-could-have-died-of-cooties' Ron Weasley, and 'I-wish-the-floor-would-eat-me-up' Ginny Weasley.

Harry, of course, did not see anything funny, either.

"Aww…how adorable," Mrs. Weasley said, clasping her hands together. "Our Ginny has a little crush on Harry!"

"Haha, that-a-boy, Prongslet! With a little work you'll be another me when you get to school!" Sirius grinned broadly, if not proudly. This of course earned him a horrified gasp from Molly.

"He'll be a WHAT?!" she demanded furiously, knowing all-too-well of what _Sirius_ had been in school.

"Sorry about that Molly, Sirius has moments of complete and utter mental-ness. I would never, _ever_, let him create _anyone_ to continue his self-proclaimed legacy," Remus interjected swiftly, shooting Sirius a 'how could you even _say_ that, and in front of _her_, no less??' look. His words calmed the woman, but she still gave the Black a dark look that Sirius merely grinned cheekily at.

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Xantos blinked his eyes open from the chair he was sitting in inside Draco's room. Oppressing a yawn that rose to his lips, his hazel eyes trailed to the peacefully sleeping blonde in the green silk bed. He was really innocent looking when he slept…no where near the sneering, retorting boy he dealt with when the kid was awake. Merlin! Such a bloody attitude! But he was definitely something…mentally stepping into his spell like that…

He wondered if Harry was capable of the same…had the Potter been as close by… Most likely, he figured, the two boys were pretty even when it came to abilities, as far as he could tell. Hmm… Usually cold hazel eyes softened somewhat as they watched the lightly snoring youngster; that is, before he realized what he was doing and he swiftly shook his head.

_Bloody hell! What am I '_thinking_'?? The last thing I need is to get attached to this brat. He's a bloody Malfoy for crying out loud! No better than that idiot Black. Growing to actually _be friends _with people from Dark Wizard families…well, one, anyway…was Jamie's thing, definitely not mine. I just need him to trust me, more now than ever with Dumbledore knowing about him, and that's _it_. _Period_. End of story, cue ending theme song. _

The 26-year-old nodded to himself, pursing his lips. He was not much of a kid person, _anyway_, and less of a kid person if the particular kid happened to be the offspring of that bloody git Lucius Malfoy. Xantos growled lightly before pushing himself roughly to his feet.

And they would start their day right about n— The older wizard opened his mouth to rudely wake the kid up, but soon just closed.

_Damn it…_

And with a glare to the sleeping boy, the Potter turned and left the room with a scowl.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Harry's morning was spent spending time with his and Remus' visitors, the Weasley Family. It was nice seeing them all again, especially after what had happened a few days ago…the chance that he might have never seen them again had been more than a little high, but it appeared that fortune had been on his side.

Madam Pomfrey was pretty uncertain about the amount of people in her Hospital Wing, what with how she preferred to keep the number of visitors down to little to none if she could help it, but…well, her two patients were doing much better, and they _could_ be going home today, so… She supposed she would let it slide…this time, anyway. And hopefully, for their personal sakes, there would not be a next time…but considering of often she had always seen the adults in here when they had been younger… Hmph.

It was needless to say that Harry, once he had gotten over his immense embarrassment at having been kissed in front of so many, was truly happy to be surrounded by his favorite people. It seemed like forever since he had seen them, and played with Ron and his many brothers. Not to mention he got his Golden Snitch back from Padfoot and was able to show it off proudly to all the red haired boys.

Afternoon came so quickly that the young Potter was genuinely surprised at it's arrival.

"It's about time we headed on home, kiddo," Sirius said, scooping the 6-year-old up and placing the now giggling child onto his shoulder easily.

"So soon?" Harry asked, looking down at his Godfather, unable to prevent the smile that was still on his face at having been placed up this high.

"'Fraid so," the Black sighed before whispering, "Moony's getting a little PMS-y…his time of the month's around the corner, and I don't want him to make a fool of himself with some mood swing in front of your friends... Can't take him anywhere, I'm tellin' ya…"

Harry stifled a giggle and nodded, Sirius having explained to him last year all about how they were to refer to his Uncle Moony's werewolf transformations.

"I heard you, Padfoot..." the lycanthrope said dangerously. "What'd I tell you about teaching him to call it that?"

"Opps, time to run, Prongslet!" And no sooner had he said it – thank Merlin Madam Pomfrey had just stepped out - than did he begin to dash around the Hospital Wing with the laughing child on his shoulder, Remus chasing after the two, shouting,

"Come back here, Sirius!"

Five minutes had not passed, however, when the Black felt himself get hit with the jelly-legs jinx.

"Whoa!" he said, steadying himself as best he could so as to not tumble down with Harry, swiftly setting the young boy down before dropping to his knees dramatically. "Run, Harry!" he mock wheezed, pushing the child away from him. "Save yourself!" And with that the Black pretended to fall and pass out on the floor overly dramatically.

"Padfoot!" Harry exclaimed as Remus finally caught up with the acting adult and the horror-struck Potter.

"Sirius, get your butt up, you'll give Harry a heart attack. He's not ready for _'all'_ of your antics," Remus ordered with a chuckle, nudging the side of the spread eagled body with his foot before reaching down and picking Harry, resting the boy on his hip. "He's fine, cub…your Godfather's just a Drama Queen."

Harry continued to ogle down at his prone Godfather none-the-less.

"King, Remy! Drama King, get it right for once," Sirius groaned, pushing himself up onto his knees, drawing his wand and casting the counter jinx on himself before standing. "See, I'm okay, Prongslet…it was just for show." Their Charge visibly relaxed, releasing his held breath before grinning.

"Now who's being touchy?" Remus smirked.

"Touché."

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The three-person family, for that was what they were, different last names or not, said their good-byes to the Weasley family, promised a play date sometime soon, and made their way out to the wards surrounding Hogwarts Castle. Harry held Sirius' hand tightly in his right, and Remus' tightly in his left, as the group side-long apparated back to what Sirius had officially dubbed the Marauders Abode.

Harry had definitely gotten used to the feeling of apparating, by now, but he still found himself disliking it each and every time he went through it. If only wizards had invented some…less rough way to get places instantly. Things would definitely be much easier!

Either way they were home at last, which was the main thing…home at last, and home together. Whoever said 'Home is where the Heart is' had it more than a little right. Remus, Sirius, and Harry could all attest to this fact.

The three plopped lazily down on the couch the moment they got inside, relishing in the feel of it, before all of them glanced between each other with smiles on their faces. Home Sweet Home.

"Anybody hungry?" inquired Remus, pushing himself up to stand after a few long beats, stretching a bit.

"Moony, my friend, you read my mind…it's actually kind of creepy," Sirius smirked before shifting his gaze to his Godson. "How about you, Prongslet?"

"Mmhmm! Can we have macaroni and cheese, Uncle Moony? Pretty please?" the emerald green eyed 6-year old asked, offering the man a pleading look…to which any protest Remus _might_ have had was easily disband…who could deny that look? Damn Sirius for teaching him so well…

"Coming right up," he chuckled, proceeding off into their kitchen, leaving the two to themselves on the couch.

"Nice job, kiddo," Sirius grinned, offering his Charge a high-five that the young boy quickly returned.

Harry scooted over, closer to his Godfather, and rested against his side, welcoming the arm that soon wrapped around him. The two sat like that for a good few minutes. And probably would have stayed like that, silently enjoying each other's much missed company, if Sirius had not been in need of talking to the young boy.

"…Harry?"

"Yeah, Padfoot?"

"I…erm…I'm sorry about yesterday with…you know…" he trailed off, clearly hesitant.

"Miss Alexis?" Harry offered with a sad smile, looking up at the canine Animagus, who suppressed a cringe and nodded stiffly.

"You don't like her…huh?"

"…Not exactly."

"How come? She was super nice to me…" the messy haired boy informed the other honestly.

"Well…it's kind of complicated. We just…we had an argument a long time ago and…stopped being friends when we were in school and…I guess I just really didn't think I'd be seeing her again."

"Oh…"

"But still, I shouldn't have shouted like I did, and for that I'm sorry, Prongslet," Sirius sighed, placing a kiss atop Harry's mess of hair gently.

"It's okay, Padfoot…I forgive you. She was really sorry, though…but I guess it's kinda hard. I know it'd be hard if Dudley told _me_ sorry…but he'd never do that…" the boy said contemplatively.

"Dinners ready!" Remus called from the kitchen.

Harry was up in an instant, grabbing his pensive Godfather's hand with a bright smile. "Come on, Padfoot! Macaroni and Cheese!!"

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**A/N:** And that'll be it for Chapter 34. :-) I believe I shall post only one more chapter of Harry as a six year old, and then do another time skip to age him a few years or so. I'm still debating it, but I'd love to hear what you all think on the matter as well. –Nods.- To clear up any confusion, this story will end on Harry's eleventh birthday, at which point I am planning on writing the sequel, which will include his Hogwarts years. After that I might do a third story about life after Hogwarts and Voldemort, but I have yet to completely decide on that one, as well. xDD Guess it all depends…

ANYWAY, enough about that, right? :-P Were not even there yet. xDD

Onto this chapter's 'Curiosity Filler'!

"Who all liked the fact, in the books, that Lily Evans and Severus Snape had been long-time childhood friends, and why did – or not - you like it? "

Thanks for sticking with me, guys, and I hope you all liked this chapter. :-)

'The Beginnings' has been updated simultaneously with this one... Awesome, no? –Grins.-

Until next time!

-Chloe

-Japanime1


	35. Christmas

**Disclaimer:** You want to know what I OWN?! I'll tell you what I OWN…nothing, nada, not a friggin' thing! How unfair is _that_ to my wallet?!

**Chapter Summary:** Harry and Draco finally see each other again, in person, following the events at Malfoy Manor.

**A/N:** W00t for another double-whammy quick update with both of my fanfics! Chapter 35, our last chapter of dear Harry as a six year old. –Cries.- I'm going to miss him, and I hope this chapter does him justice as a good-bye, but every little boy grows up sometime, and it's his turn to go about that 'aging' thing again. –Sighs.- Well…we'll just have to wait and see how it all turns out. –Nods and smiles.- Hope you all like reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. :-)

Chapter 35: Christmas

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As the months drew closer and closer to Christmas, Sirius felt both excited – he never missed a beat when it came to opportunities to buy Harry gifts – and uncertain. Dumbledore wanted Remus, Snape, and he to alternate days all throughout the week leading up to Christmas with Harry spending time up at Snivellus' house with Draco, and Draco spending time at Marauders Abode with Harry, the boys switching location every other day.

Sirius, of course, had been adamant against this idea. Why not just let them spend 'one' day together, instead of the whole bloody week? But Dumbledore insisted that it was best that way, considering the two Elementals would be unable to see each other at all but on these rare occasions. Remus, conformist that he was – in Sirius current opinion - , had nodded and agreed straight away.

Well, no matter how high of a belief Dumbledore had of this being beneficial to Harry and Malfoy's little brat, Sirius could not see how that coming week was going to go by smoothly…let alone without he or Snape killing each other...

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Harry laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The lovely magicked ceiling had the young Potter's favorite Quidditch ball zipping here and there, two Seekers dashing after it on their brooms. The emerald eyed six year old usually always liked to watch this before finally falling asleep, seeing for how long he, himself, could keep track of the fast little Snitch, but tonight he was watching it because he _'could not'_ sleep.

He was going to be going to see Draco tomorrow at Mr. Snape's house… Now while he did not much mind the thought of seeing Draco again, in person, rather than in dreams occasionally with Xantos, he did not find any excitement what-so-ever at seeing Mr. Snape. Padfoot had encouraged him many a-time to call Mr. Snape, Snivellus, but Harry did not dare. _Merlin_, no! Mr. Snape seemed far too much like Uncle Vernon for that, which was the main reason the Elemental was so warily nervous. He really hoped he did not have to stay alone with the man… That would be terrible…

But, he supposed, it was just every other day that he would have to visit Mr. Snape's house, which was somewhat a relief. And for New Years Padfoot had promised they would be spending it far away from Mr. Snape's house. Harry was not sure how far away that would be, but anything Sirius promised turned out great, so the young Potter was at least really glad for that.

As it were, he digressed. The point was that he could not sleep. Normally on nights like this, which were few and spread apart, Harry would go and climb in Remus' bed, because the lycanthrope was much easier to wake up that Padfoot was, but…tonight Uncle Moony was in the basement going through the Full Moon. Which meant the messy haired boy would have to sneak into Padfoot's room instead…this was fine, but Sirius was just such a heavy sleeper…

Either way, mind made up, Harry tossed back his covers and crawled out of bed. The house was extremely quiet at night, as apposed to how loud and happy it was during the day, which was a little unnerving, but not terribly so. The young Potter had been living here for going on four years now, and he was pretty much used to it all.

Tip-toeing from his room and into the hall, Harry looked around for a moment before making his way to Sirius' bedroom. Entering the room, Harry paused for a moment before continuing over to his Godfather's bed, silently climbing up onto it. As he had imagined, the elegantly black haired man was fast asleep, the bright moonlight streaming in through the window, casting a bluish glow over the Black.

The Potter heir smiled to himself, situating himself next to the twenty-six year old, and pulled the covers up and over his lower half. Emerald eyes stared, once more, up at the ceiling for a beat, before he shook his head, closed his eyes, and turned to snuggle up against Sirius.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Harry had not needed to explain himself to his Godfather come morning, the man knew how Harry felt about Severus, but as the three got ready for their day and had breakfast, he said,

"Really, Prongslet, Snivellus can't and wouldn't do a thing to you. For one, he knows I'd kill him, for another, he knows Remus would kill him, and one more for good measure, he knows Dumbledore would fire him…so, see? He's all bark, no bite. Always has been." The Black, of course, said this with a mouth full of toast, but Harry understood well enough.

The young boy nodded, knowing all this to be true, but…still…that did not mean he had to be happy about it. Mr. Snape was mean, and his emotions were always so dark and hateful and…the Potter just really preferred to not be around him whenever he could help it, but… Dumbles said it was a good idea, so…he supposed it had to be.

"And if you really, really don't want us to all go, cub…we could just tell Dumbledore 'no'," Remus stated sincerely, if not a little tiredly after his previous night.

Emerald green orbs shifted to the much paler than usual man, who was giving him an exhausted smile. A soft sigh left the Potter's lips as he shook his head, looking back down at his now empty plate.

"No, it's okay…I do want to see Draco, again," Harry said, finally looking back up at his Guardians. Remus nodded knowingly and returned to his food.

Harry knew he would have to get over his fear of Mr. Snape _sometime_, considering the man was going to be one of his professors at school and running from class when he was older would most certainly be no plausible option. Why bother forestalling what was so clearly inevitable? And so that became the six year old's mind set.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Well, it _had_ been his mind set…anyway…two or so hours ago. That was, of course, before he found himself – along with Padfoot and Uncle Moony – standing on the doorstep of the last house on Spinner's End. The place was dark and dreary and the sky was grey despite the sun being out. There was no sound of running and playing children like in most neighborhoods; in fact, there was really no sound at all…the whole place looked dead in its own way, as if it had come out of its own nightmare. On top of this all, there was a smell in the air that Harry could not quite identify…but it was definitely not pleasant in the least.

"Merlin…ten sickles says you're the first pureblood to set foot here, Padfoot…" Remus murmured in faint disbelief, looking around at all the rundown brick houses, cobblestone streets, and various busted lamp lights.

"…Heh, probably. No wonder the greasy git never washes his hair…I bet he doesn't even have running water!" Sirius smirked at this. After all, Snape had to have enough money to get a better house than the one he had grown up in, what with his job at Hogwarts and all, but…apparently the life of simulation poverty floated his boat.

"I bet he just likes the quiet," Remus replied, shaking his head before stepping up and knocking on the door. "Though I do have to say I'd prefer if the boys met at our place, exclusively…"

"I like that idea!" Harry interjected quickly.

"I wouldn't have doubted it," Remus chuckled, taking a step back from the door as sounds came from inside.

One would think the door would be, in a matter of seconds, opened. However it is not, and remains closed for another full minute or so…much to Sirius' ever growing annoyance.

"That greasy git; he knows were out here, and he still—" the dog Animagus growled, releasing his Godson's hand to step up to the door, lifting his fist as if to pound, but it was at this moment, instead, that the door did open.

"Patience is a virtue, Black, one I can see you've yet to learn…," drawled the onyx eyed man from the doorway with a sneer curling at the corners of his lips.

Sirius glared at the man as he lowered his hand, "Last time I checked it wasn't my patience we were coming here to talk about, Snivellus."

"Who said we were discussing? I was stating a fact," the Potions Master replied with a mocking smile, lazily stepping to the side to let the three inside.

Sirius took a threatening step towards the greasy black haired wizard, but Remus was quick to reach out and grab his arm decisively. Bluish-grey eyes snapped to the werewolf, who merely shook his head once. This was neither the time nor the place to be starting a row or a fight with Severus. They were at _his_ house, after all, an automatic disadvantage.

Releasing his friend's arm, Remus moved passed him and entered the very small sitting room first, hand in hand with a very hesitant Harry. The place looked very similar to a padded cell, what with there being no walls almost, just shelves upon shelves of books, a threadbare sofa, two recliners, and a tea table.

"Werewolf taming the dog…why does that not surprise me?" Snape sneered condescendingly as Sirius darkly followed the first two into the house.

"I swear to _Merlin_, Snape," Sirius snapped, rounding on the undercover Death Eater, going for his wand.

"Draco!" Harry said, relief evident in his youthful voice.

Sirius stopped mid-draw, as did Snape who had triumphantly been going for his as well, all eyes turning to the eye-brow-raised platinum blonde standing on the narrow staircase that had apparently previously been hidden by book shelves.

"Hey, Potter," Draco replied with a somewhat amused smile at the scene. His Godfather had his hand on the handle of his wand, as did the man his Godfather referred to as Black and Harry referred to as Padfoot, both clearly wavering on how to proceed.

"Are you two done?" the silver-grey eyed boy inquired with a snobbish Malfoy-like air, directing this question at the two men that the amber eyed male next to Harry was currently thinking of as being childish.

Severus Snape was the first to remove his hand from the wand in the pocket of his robes, Sirius following suit a moment later, evidently trying to ignore how much he wished he could throttle the Potions master.

_Your Godfather really hates mine… _drifted the blonde's thoughts to Harry, the emerald eyed Potter's eyes widening a fraction.

_Yeah, I know, and yours hates mine, too…could you sense their feelings? _

_No, Potter,_ Draco rolled his eyes, _I can't do that. I can just hear what they're thinking…remember? _

_Mmhmm… _Harry nodded slightly.

"Hey, hey," Remus cut in suspiciously, "that's not fair at all."

_This is Moony, _Harry smiled.

_Well…I guess I have to admit he's smart…_ Draco sent back before directing his attention to the lycanthrope. "What's not fair?" he asked with well feigned bemusement.

_You know exactly what's not fair,_ Remus thought to himself with a smirk slowly forming on his lips, more so when he saw Draco raise a lone aristocratic eyebrow.

"Enough of this, Draco," the silky voice of Snape finally ordered, shaking his head ever so slightly, before moving over to his preferred recliner and seating himself.

Draco sighed softly before nodding and following, taking a seat on the second recliner.

Sirius blinked a few times, trying to deduce what everyone had apparently figured out…that had somehow missed his perception. Remus offered his friend a 'Sirius…sometimes you are just…hopeless' kind of look, before leading Harry to the threadbare sofa and sitting down, the young Potter following suit next to him.

The canine Animagus waited a beat before grumbling darkly to himself and moving over to plop himself down on the sofa next to his Godson. The Malfoy kid had the ability of Telepathy…no wonder.

Snape sneered at the bluish-grey eyed wizard, it being more than obvious that he had been about as excited about this coming day and week as Sirius, himself, had been.

The odd group sat in a somewhat awkward silence for a few good beats, apparently unsure of what to say first, and who should be the one to say it.

Well, an awkward silence for most save for Draco Malfoy, who had anything but an awkward silence to listen to. His Godfather was busy wishing this was over and done with and that maybe Black would untimely drop dead in the process; Potter's 'Moony' – who Draco had to also admit to himself was perhaps worth having saved, not that he would ever admit that to Harry, himself, thank Merlin the boy could not read minds – was pondering over how to start some form of conversation; and Potter's 'Padfoot' was having thoughts so similar to his Godfather Sev's, that it was surprising that the two did not get along better…forgetting the whole 'wishing the other would die' bit.

Adults were definitely weird, this much the platinum blonde knew. As to Harry, the boy was just wishing they could have this whole get together without Severus being present in the room…

_Why don't you like Sev? _Draco asked mentally after another few beats.

Surprise flitted across the emerald eyed boy's face only briefly, and by the end of the week, Draco was sure that randomly hearing the Malfoy's voice in his head would be no novelty to Harry.

_Well…he's just…er…I don't know, he reminds me too much of my Uncle Vernon…who just…erm…wasn't a very nice man, _Harry replied with a somewhat sad smile.

_Oh…hmm…he's really not that bad once you get to know him…he just _'looks' _like an overgrown bat to people who don't know…_

Harry actually snickered at this, bringing a hand up almost immediately to stifle it, eyes turning quickly, nervously now to the narrowing eyed Snape.

"Well I guess we should say this," Remus finally said, knowing that if something was not said, Draco and Harry would just continue to carry own their own conversation between themselves, unheard by the rest. "Sirius and I would like to thank you, Draco…we're extremely grateful for what you did for Harry and me. It was something you didn't have to do, but that you did, and it—"

"Means a lot to us," Sirius finished, sitting up a little straighter, nodding slightly when Remus glanced briefly at him. "We owe you…it's a life debt, twice over."

Draco was unsure of what a life debt was, and was officially sure these were the only other people, other than Harry, to ever thank him for something, but he supposed he did not really have to understand…yet, anyway. Maybe he would ask Uncle Sev later or maybe Xantos.

"Now I see where he gets it…" Draco muttered to himself, eyes falling to his lap, in reference to Harry, who merely grinned. "You know… You're 'welcome' and all that," he shrugged lightly, "…but can we all just forget it now? If my mother or father _ever_ found out about that…"

"The Malfoy family would have its first member burned off the good ol' family tree?" Sirius chuckled, and Draco looked up at him incredulous as to how the man could find it even _'remotely'_ funny.

"Yes! And that'd be the worst!"

"It's alright, we're not exactly on civil speaking terms with your parents," Remus smiled softly, and Draco relaxed a fraction.

"…Still…" Draco sighed, sinking into his chair gloomily despite knowing his parents would kill him were they present to see him not acting completely aristocratic.

"Anyway…Severus," Remus said in his most civil and conversational voice, used most when having to talk reason into a person, shifting his attention to the Potions Master.

"Lupin," Snape replied with a curt 'go ahead' nod. Sure, he disliked the man, but no where near as much as he disliked Black.

"I was thinking that maybe it'd be better if Draco and Harry were to spend time at…_our_ house, rather than…here."

"And why would that be?" the man inquired lazily, if not a little annoyed at the idea that his home was unsuitable for children.

"It's just…we have more outside space than you do, and we have charms around our place that'll let the boys do magic outside and inside without being detected," the lycanthrope replied reasonably.

"They can do any magic just fine in here."

"Er…true, inside the house, but…I mean if you _want_ your books burned to a crisp…" he trailed off, glancing side-long at Harry, who sank deeply into his seat at the look Snape shot him at this.

"…Fine," Snape said, lips thinning. He did not like the thought of it, but there was always his books to take into account…he could always torment the Potter brat when the boy reached Hogwarts.

"Is that alright with you, Draco?" Remus asked, amber eyes shifting back to the blonde who merely shrugged, not really caring much where they were going to do this, considering he had never really had a…play-day with a child his age before.

"Sounds like a plan!" Sirius grinned, jumping up to his feet. "Why don't we get the hell out of here?"

Snape rolled his eyes at this before glancing over at his blonde Godson, who had looked over at him at the same moment.

Harry was, of course, the first to scramble off the couch and grasp his Godfather's hand, more than ready to leave. Remus slowly pushed himself up as well.

"I'll be over to pick him up at seven, sharp, every day, and will drop him off at noon," Snape said firmly, as he too stood, Draco following suit after him.

"Sounds good," Remus replied easily, knowing better than to argue any different arrangement with the wizard. "Anything you want to take?" he asked, directing this question at Draco, who merely shook his head.

"I'm good."

Nodding, the lycanthrope outstretched his hand for the Malfoy to take. Draco stared at the appendage for a good beat, eye brow slowly rising.

_It's just a hand…nothing new, right? _Remus thought to himself with an indulgent smile, earning himself a slight sneer from the boy before Draco finally took his hand.

And with that the four made for the door, Draco glancing back to wave a bit to Severus, who allowed his first true, however very faint, smile of the day to cross his lips.

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"That was brilliant, Moony, absolutely brilliant! Worthy of the Marauder name, indeed! Have I ever told you that you were a genius?"

The two sat at the kitchen table after having showed Draco the house and left him with Harry up in their Charge's bedroom. They knew that while it was not impossible for the blonde to read their thoughts down here, it was bound to be a little more tricky…and besides, it was not like they could pry the boy for information on Xantos or anything, lest he go back to Malfoy manor with plenty more to tell about their knowledge than he likely already had.

"More times than I can count," Remus sighed, bringing a hand up to rub at his temple.

"Well, you are…just so you know, Siriusly. And that's Siriusly not Seriously."

"You know if I was Prongs, we'd be exchanging hexes right now for that."

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" Sirius cried in mock hurt. "Prongs _'loved'_ the Serious/Sirius pun!"

"Yeah, the first five times a school year that he _let_ you use it, after you over-killed the joke second year, and not a single time after that," the light brown haired wizard smirked.

"Naw, that was all Jamesy's show of affection for the pun!"

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_-Flash back, Christmas Break, Sixth Year.-_

"_Er…hi, Prongs," Black greeted, having just shown up while the Potter had been upstairs, stepping away from Rebecca Raydon, James' current girlfriend. _

"_Padfoot," James said warily, knowing Sirius did not care much for the girl being over for Christmas, and hoping his friend had not said anything…too cross. _

"_I came to see your mum," said Sirius, awkwardly. After all, the woman had just had a terrible fainting spell yesterday, Remus had owled. _

_The corners of James' mouth twitched upwards in a smile. "And not me?"_

"_Why the hell would I come to see you?" Black demanded._

_James raised an eyebrow and Sirius smiled, if only slightly. _

"_Okay, you got me. Still, though. I seriously want to see your mum. And that's ser—"_

_James whipped out his wand from his pocket and pointed it at Black, who grinned. "Finish that pun," the Potter heir said levelly, "and I'll blow your bloody brains out."_

_Sirius grinned and snatched James' wand out of his hand; Rebecca marveling at their easy friendship. She could honestly say she had never seen anything like them before._

_Sirius clapped James on the back and the Potter grinned, and that was that. _

_-Seventh Year, Christmas Break.- _

"_Yes, but I mean—seriously. Are you okay? Everything tip-top? And that's Siriusly, not Seriously." _

_James groaned and reached for his wand. "Now you've done it, Padfoot. Duel. Right now."_

_Black nodded, taking out his own wand and grinning widely. Both boys stood, James with a little stagger—how tired is he?—and moved to the center of the room. They stood with their wands crossed, and Alexis could barely contain her laughter at the sight of their grim expressions._

"_Begin," she said, getting into the spirit and hiding a smile. _

_Both boys drew their wands away and shouted jinxes at each other at exactly the same time. Lily, sitting in-between her best friend and Remus, gasped and put up a quick shield in front of the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, as well as the fire. James Potter and Sirius Black were completely liable to light anything on fire, no matter how difficult it might seem to do so._

_By the time she turned back to the mock duel, James had vibrant yellow feathers as hair, Sirius was doing a crazy jig, while unsuccessfully trying to level his wand at James, and Alexis was trying to not lose her breath with laughter. James grinned, shot a beam of blue light at Sirius, and jumped up on to the table, right in front of Lily. His feathers had disappeared, much to everyone's disappointment._

"_Are we entertaining enough?" he asked mischievously, before ducking his best mate's hex, which hit a mirror and shattered it with a resounding crash. Remus instantly repaired it and the three on the couch were quick to dodge out of the way of the next hex. _

_Remus shouted when James aimed a Tickling Jinx at him and jumped up, shooting an Impedimentia at him and smiling when he froze. Sirius turned to him, breathing hard, and frowned mockingly. "Now, now, now, Moony" he said, "you know that a duel is between two people, and not three?"_

"_I'm well aware of that fact," he said tiredly. _

"_And do you also realize," Sirius continued, his eyes dancing with roguish amusement, "that you just Impendimented Prongs and not me?"_

_Remus raised an eyebrow. "Impendimented isn't a word, Pads."_

"'_Tis now," the Black said dismissively. "So the question here is: why are you helping me and not Jamesy?"_

"_He just sent a _'Tickling Jinx'_ at me, Siri, what did you _'expect'_ me to do?"_

"_To not play favorites, mate, that's completely unfair and un-Marauder!" Sirius grinned surreptitiously - causing Remus to warily back up a few steps. Sirius took a menacing step toward Remus, silently casting the counter curse on his best friend, who swiftly sprung to his feet, breathing just as heavily as the Black. _

"_Let's show him what he's won for playing favorites!" James exclaimed, sharing a conspiritory smirk with Sirius, before the two leveled expert dueling wands on Remus._

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"Your Moony and Padfoot think of the weirdest things…" Draco informed Harry matter-of-factly, glancing back at the door from where he laid on his stomach on the Potter's large bed, flipping through one of the Quidditch books he had been handed, Harry next to him a foot or so away on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

"I think it makes them fun," Harry replied with a hint of defensiveness.

"Hey, you don't have to get cross about it…" the blonde grunted unperturbedly, flipping the book closed and pushing it away as he pushed himself up and onto his knees before sitting cross-legged, silver-grey eyes fixing on the Potter.

Sensing the eyes on him, emerald green eyes turned slowly to meet Draco's. "…What?"

"Can we try something?" he asked, barely hiding his eagerness. The messy raven haired boy gave him a wary look as he too pushed himself up to sit cross-legged across from him.

"…Try what?"

"Something Xantos showed me that only you and I could do, and I've been wanting to try it for days and days and days and days and days now."

"Oh!" Harry said, grinning slowly, curiosity perked at the thought of something his cousin might have taught the Malfoy. "What do we got to do?"

"Here, give me your hands, be open, and you'll see," Draco replied with a true grin, lifting his hands up as if to play some form of patty-cake.

Harry blinked a few times, before nodding and lifting his hands to meet the Malfoy's, before their gazes fixed on each other once more. It was here that the two boys felt a tingling in their hands, starting there and swiftly spreading throughout their arms and the rest of their bodies. Unbeknownst to the Potter heir, his emerald eyes shined with red fire flickering across the green, though he could certainly see the blue water-like waves flickering across Malfoy heir's shinning grey.

"W-What's happening?" he asked, breath hitching in his throat briefly as their hands began to glow with a bright white light.

"S-Something awesome…" Draco replied cryptically, breath hitching briefly in his throat, as well, their eyes never wavering from each others.

And as soon as it had come, the light surrounding their hands disappeared, the tingling in their bodies gradually leaving the same way it had come, through their arms and ultimately their hands. And as their eyes began to return to their true proper coloring, the boys retracted their hands slowly, both breathing a little heavily.

"What…_what_ was that?" Harry demanded.

"It felt good, didn't it?" Draco countered knowingly.

"Well…yeah! But still—"

"Watch," the blonde smirked, snapping the fingers of his right hand and opening his palm to reveal a brightly burning flame.

Harry's eyes widened to an almost comical size.

"How'd you _do_ that?!"

"Xantos said that Elementals can share their powers for small bits at a time, which is why they're stronger when they're together…having all four main elements makes us, so he says, the strongest wizards in the whole wide world," Draco replied, as if sharing the most deepest of secrets. "And that after we did it like this once, you know, with our hands, we could do it anytime we touched, on the spot, without having to wait."

"So you didn't…take my powers?"

"No, Potter, don't be dense. You still have yours just like before, but you shared some with me, and I shared some of mine with you. Try it, we've only got it for a few minutes."

Harry nodded, trying to wrap his head around this, before snapping his own fingers, concentrating fully on water, and opening his palm to see a floating orb of liquid.

"Wow…" he said breathlessly.

"I know, right?"

"Do you want to play?" Harry asked, both boys closing their hands at the same time, extinguish the water and fire, respectively.

"Outside, come on."

And with that the two boys were up and off the bed in a heart beat, dashing for the door, and down the stairs.

"Hey, where are you two going?" shouted Sirius from the kitchen, hearing both the running stomps and seeing the two boys dash past the kitchen entryway.

_Going to play outside!_ Harry called back excitedly…mentally, the two boys not missing a beat on their way to the front door, opening it and exiting swiftly. Sirius and Remus shared briefly confused looks…had Harry just used Telepathy? But their Charge did not _have _that power… The two men were up a second later, following after the boys.

What ensued outside – after Draco explained to Sirius and Remus what they had done - had to be the 'funnest' time Harry had had while playing with his powers – and powers that were not his. Granted, he had fun playing with Padfoot and Moony, but he was always a little worried he might blow them away – literally – or worse, burn them. But with Draco, every action had a proper reaction, fire was blocked with water, or the other way around, air blew away fire, water protected from earth shakes, fire burned vines, and the list went on rather extensively.

"No fair!" Draco exclaimed indignantly, as Harry waved a hand and water appeared over the blonde's head, dropping, and soaking him completely.

"Yes fair!" Harry giggled as the two ran around the yard.

Draco's body glowed red briefly, clearly with heat, before every drop of water on him sizzled and dried up.

"Oh, yeah?" he called, before coming to halt in his running, breathing coming in laboredly.

"…Aww…I lost it again," the Malfoy groaned, finding himself no longer able to use fire or air, their time of 'sharing' having already spent. "Here, come here," he called, moving over to touch the Potter's shoulder like they had done various times now so as to have the power back for another brief bit of time.

"No, no more," Harry said tiredly, breathing laboredly, too, trying to produce water and finding himself unable, before dropping down onto the ground. "M'too tired…" he yawned, lying back on the cool grass.

A yawn escaped Draco, too, who pouted for a moment before moving over to drop down next to Harry, lying back tiredly as well. "Yeah…I guess I'm, too..."

"That was…a lot of fun," Harry said through deep breaths, turning his head to look over at the blonde with a smile.

"Mmhmm," Draco said, turning his head to look over at the messy haired boy with a smile of his own.

A silence fell between them as the two shifted their gaze to the now colored sky of twilight.

"Draco…?"

"Yeah…?"

"…Are we friends?"

"…I don't know…I don't think we're allowed to be friends, Potter," the Malfoy replied softly.

"Oh…because of our last names?"

"I think so…"

"Well…can we be…secret friends?" the green eyed boy asked hopefully, the two turning their heads to glance at each other once more.

"…Secret friends?" Draco repeated amusedly, blinking a few times.

"Mmhmm!"

"I…hmm…" He seemed to have an internal talk with himself, clearly torn between wanting to say yes, and knowing better.

_Secret friends…_really_ secret…?_ he asked mentally...tentatively.

_Really, _really_ secret, if you want…we don't have to act like friends in front of anyone ever, if you don't want,_ Harry replied quickly, a grin tugging at his lips.

…_Ever?_

_Never._

_I…okay…Secret friends, _Draco relented with a sigh, but a grin was soon on his youthful face.

_So am I Harry now? _the Potter inquired playfully.

_Here, you are, _Draco stuck his tongue out at the other, "But here, you're Potter," he stated seriously, _alright Harry? _

"Alright, _Malfoy_," Harry retorted, sticking his tongue out at the other in turn. Draco rolled his eyes.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

And so went the Elementals' fun week together; Draco being dropped off every day at lunch time, and being picked up every evening at eight, the two getting to know each other, and each other's powers, extremely well over the course of every day. Power sharing became a part of every day, so that the two could finish each others sentences while sitting at the table for lunch and dinner, and the more times they practiced it, the longer times they could use vast amounts of either fire, air, water, or earth, without getting extremely tired. Whoever coined the word, 'unforgettable', would have been sure to dub their week just that.

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Christmas came and went and was happy and exciting as every single one before it ever since the young Potter moving in with Sirius and Remus, Harry getting a multitude of presents, from both his Guardians and the Weasley family, as well as a hand-drawn card from Draco that had two childishly drawn stick figure boys, one with yellow hair and one with black hair, and the four elements surrounding them in a circle.

But now, days after Christmas was over, and days after he had said his final sad good-byes to Draco until they could see each other again in the summer, Harry found himself meeting someone altogether new to him.

Padfoot had said they would be spending New Years far, far away from Mr. Snape's house, and Merlin had he not been lying… The family of three found themselves in Ireland on New Years Eve, in the living room of whom Sirius was introducing as Regulus Black, his little brother.

"Hello, Harry," the younger Black greeted with a warm smile, hunkering down to the Potter's level, outstretching a hand that Harry shook uncertainly. The man _'looked'_ a lot like Padfoot, but with somewhat icier-colored eyes, and from what he could sense of him the man seemed to be a very nice person, indeed, but…well, Harry supposed he was always uncertain around strangers, no matter what, in the beginning.

"…'Ello," the young Potter replied shyly.

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Sirius and Regulus and Remus spent most of their evening catching up with each other, while Harry thoroughly enjoyed the view of the ocean from Mr. Regulus' balcony. He had never seen the ocean before, after all, but he had officially dubbed it extremely magical with the way the moon reflected off it majestically.

"Like what you see?" inquired a curious voice behind him, causing the bespectacled boy to give a start, turning around quickly to see a grinning Regulus handing him a cup of pumpkin juice.

"I…yeah, it's beautiful," Harry replied quickly, sincerely, taking the cup. "Thank you, Mr. Regulus."

"I've always thought so, too," Regulus sighed, glancing out at the sparkling water. "And please, if anything, call me Reggie…"

Harry looked doubtful at this.

"Honestly, you're like my…God-Nephew, right?" he chuckled. "And I'm definitely not old, I'm no 'Mr.', Sirius'll reach that age before _I_ ever do, so Reggie sounds just perfect to me," the twenty-five year old nodded at this.

"Okay…thanks…Reggie," Harry said with a smile.

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The countdown to midnight was unquestionably done on the youngest Black's balcony, in the midst of Sirius making cracks on his little brother about having picked up an Irish accent to cover his former British one, and when the four shouted,

"Happy New Year!!" Sirius, Remus, and Regulus all shot fireworks into the air from their wands, much to six year old Harry's delight.

It had been an eventful year, a partly scary year, but the close of it had been wonderful, and definitely something Harry would likely never find himself forgetting.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

**A/N: **And that's that for six year old Harry Potter…the next chapter will have him aged a few years, but not terribly, so no worries. –Grins.- This chapter is actually longer than the previous two, which surprised me, considering I had been aiming for the length of the other two…but, eh, I'm sure you all were not complaining about length as you were reading. xD

Either way, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and if you're readers of my prequel story 'The Beginnings', I hope you enjoy that one's new chapter, as well, and I'll be sure to get the next ones out soon. –Nods.-

Now onto this chapter's 'Curiosity Filler'!

"Do you think Harry's son, Albus – because we obviously know about James – was ultimately sorted into Gryffindor…or Slytherin? And Why?"

I'll be sure to reply with my response when you tell me yours; I've been really curious about where he ended up for a while now. xDD

Anywho, thanks for reading and reviewing, and I'll see you all next time around!

Until then…

-Chloe

-Japanime1


	36. A Usual Day at Marauders Abode

**Disclaimer:** You want to know what I OWN?! I'll tell you what I OWN…nothing, nada, not a friggin' thing! How unfair is _that_ to my wallet?!

**Chapter Summary:** Ever wonder what an average day at Marauders Abode is like?

**A/N:** And here comes our first chapter of a somewhat older Harry. –Grins.- And prompt, too, no? I'm really proud of my consecutive 'on time' posting skills as of late. :-) This whole 'type at least a page a day on word, and many pages on a random day' has really been working for me! I believe I have found my niche! –Does a jig.- If any of you guys are having trouble updating your own stories promptly, you should try out my method, it's quite effective, IMHO. Anywho, enough of this…I ramble far too much in these things… Onto Chapter 36! W00t!

Chapter 36: A Usual Day at Marauders Abode

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Remus' mouth dropped slightly in shock before shouting, affronted, "That's no reason at all, you prick!"

"It is sooooo a reason, you big baby! I mean, really, if it was either of us, it'd be you, _no_ _contest_!" Sirius retorted from where he sat on the couch in their sitting room, as if it were completely obvious.

"No! No, no, and _no_. Who's the one who is always on the verge of a meltdown anytime they have to go to see a friggin' healer?" Remus replied knowingly from his recliner, sitting up and leaning forward some.

"Now _that_ has absolutely _nothing_ to do with it, and you know it!" It was Sirius' turn to be indignant, leaning forward as well, the tea table between them.

"Yeah? Well, neither does going into the basement once a month!"

"Going into the basement is the biggest of factors! You have a time-of-the-month, Moony! Wolf-PMS! Mood-Swings!"

"I don't have any control over that!"

"Neither do any of the others out there!"

"NO! It's completely different, for Merlin's sake! And I can't believe we're even _having_ this conversation, Sirius!"

"We're having it because you _dared_ to _insinuate_ that _I_ of all people in this house—"

"Because you do!"

"I do not, damn it!" Sirius whined.

"Yes, you do! You spend more time in the bathroom than anyone on the face of the planet!"

"You hurt me, Remus. Really, you do. Siriusly! That doesn't even _remotely_ come into play in pin-pointing which of us—"

"It does so!"

"Oh, yeah? _Well_! Which one of us does the _cooking_?" Sirius inquired with an easily evident satisfaction, as if having won this debate with that alone.

"Bloody hell! You are _not_ bringing that into the equation!"

"I am so!"

"I only do the cooking because we would all starve if _you_ did it!"

"Exactly, which automatically places me in my preferred role, and you in the role of m—"

"Bullocks! That's a load of _bullocks_!" Remus retorted petulantly, jumping to his feet, intending to leave the sitting room.

"Why don't we just ask Prongslet? Eh? He'll be the tie breaker," Sirius smirked smugly, pushing himself to his feet, as well, far too pleased with himself.

Remus glared daggers at his friend before both men shouted in unison,

"Harry!"

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_-Five Minutes Before.-_

On this particular lovely Saturday in August, eight year old Harry James Potter sat at the desk in his room, leaning over a piece of parchment, left hand holding the parchment in place, and the right hand dipping his Sugar Quill into some black ink. Bright, expressive emerald green eyes scanned the unmarked parchment before him, pondering over what to write first.

His mop of messy raven black hair stood up at all odd angles, even in the back, and if it were not for those who knew him knowing that this appearance was completely natural, they might have thought he styled it that way every day. Bringing the end of the Sugar Quill to his mouth, he sucked experimentally – _He was right, these are great!_ -while bringing his free hand up to ruffle his soft hair absentmindedly before returning it to hold the parchment in place.

_What to write…what to write…?_

"That's no reason at all, you prick!" came Remus' shouting voice from downstairs.

Green eyes trailed to the open door on his left, removing the end of the Sugar Quill from his mouth, an amused smile twitching at the corners of his lips. They were at it again. It happened every now and then, and he had come to find each occasion quite humorous over the years. Mostly because the two men insulted each other and called each other names without really feeling any true sense of dislike for the other. How did Harry know their insults were all fake, and not heart-felt? Because he could sense it in their emotions. The two were the best of friends; of course there was never true enmity between them!

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

_-Flashback.-_

"_This isn't Harry's stuff, its mine!" Sirius said indignantly, holding the pile of clothes tightly against his chest. _

"_Then why in Merlin's name where they thrown all over Harry's room 'and' the friggin' hall? Will you _ever_ stop tossing your clothes everywhere?" Remus asked, then he scowled, "And don't think I'm doing your laundry as well!"_

"_But Moooonnnyyy!" _

_A seven year old Harry, standing a few feet from the two men in his room, giggled as Sirius continued to whine._

_Finally Remus said, "That's enough, Sirius. Say goodnight to Harry, then kindly sod off…you're doing _'all'_ your laundry tonight!"_

_Sirius sighed dramatically, before shrugged and promptly dropped the armful of clothes onto the floor in favor of sweeping Harry up in his arms and swinging him around the room once. Remus rolled his eyes, smiling, and moved to pull down the covers of the young Potter's bed, where Harry landed a few seconds later giggling madly._

"_G'night, kiddo" Sirius whispered fondly, kissing Harry on the forehead, before huffily scooping up his clothes and walking out of the room portentously._

"_See you in the morning, cub," Remus chuckled softly, before planting a kiss on top of the boy's head and walking out of the room leaving the door open just enough so some light could stream in. _

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Harry supposed every two people who lived together had to find _something_ to argue about from time to time, lest they explode.

When Remus and Sirius were getting along, which was ninety-five percent of the time, they truly got along and were very much in sync about things…but when they had their off moments that other five percent of the time, they _really_ had them. Harry always believed this to be because they had to make up for all their good days some way or another_. _No one got along twenty-four seven over everything, after all. But Sirius and Remus always made up and were as good as new the next day.

"Now _that_ has absolutely _nothing_ to do with it, and you know it!" floated up Sirius' indignant voice.

The Potter heir snickered softly to himself before turning his gaze back to the parchment before him, bringing the Sugar Quill back to his lips to suck on once more as he pondered what to write. He had to hop to it in writing so as send this off before Draco came over for the afternoon, because then Harry would not get it done until tomorrow.

And besides that, he was very eager to put the owl Remus had personally taken him to get for his birthday to the test. At this thought his eyes shifted to the right, where on that side of his desk, situated in a lovely cage, was a small and clearly young, female snow-white owl. Harry's eyes shinned with cheerfulness every time he looked at her.

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_-Flashback.-_

_Harry stared incredulously from the Eeylops Owl Emporium, itself, to Remus. Out of all the things he might have thought he might get for his birthday…a pet had not been one of them, let alone a 'letter delivering' pet. _

"_Come on, cub, you deserve it," the lycanthrope smiled, and the boy's face could not help but brighten as the two entered the shop. There were animals of all kinds inside, but by far owls were the most that inhabited the shop. Remus told Harry to take as much time as he needed, and to get a good look at all of them before picking. _

_The young Potter spent the next fifteen minutes traversing the emporium, looking at all the various breeds of owls and colors and appearances. In the end he lingered longest in front of the cage of snoozing snow-white owl that looked much smaller than the rest, though Harry figured it was probably because it was baby. _

"_Like that one?" inquired Remus from behind him, also inspecting the creature. "It's a girl, if I'm not mistaken… A snowy owl, too, they grow to a very decent size." _

_Harry glanced up at his Guardian who had laid a hand on his shoulder before looking back at the owl, who had apparently decided to wake up and look at the two males staring at her. _

"_She has your eyes!" Harry commented with a bright grin. _

"_Ha, she does, doesn't she?" the Lupin chuckled upon noticing the amber eyes._

"_Yeah…she's the one I want." _

_And she was the one that was bought. It took Harry a good few days to come up with a name, however. He had searched through many various books of his own to come up with one, and came up empty handed, eventually resorting to asking to borrow some of Remus', who had gladly supplied. _

_Harry lay on his stomach a few evenings later in front of the fireplace in the sitting room, flipping through one of the Lupin's old books with his new owl in her cage next to him. It was getting late and he was starting to feel sleepy, but he wanted to pick out a magical name for his new pet _'tonight'_. He had called her 'girl' far too many times already, and did not want her to think that was her name. Uncle Moony had said there were lots of wizard names in this book, 'A History of Magic', and that he was sure Harry would be able to pick out a brilliant name from there._

_The Potter heir propped himself up on his elbows, resting his chin in one hand, and turning the page with the other before reading allowed, finger trailing under the word, "Hed-wig… Hedwig. Hmm…Hedwig," he repeated pensively, testing it. "What do you think of Hedwig, girl?" _

_His new owl hooted softly, and Harry smiled. _

"_Any luck finding a name, Harry?" Remus asked as he exited the kitchen, flopping exhaustedly into the seat nearest the boy._

"_Yep!" Harry announced cheerfully, "Her name is Hedwig!"_

"_That's a great name, Harry," Remus nodded his approval. "Now why don't you put Hedwig in your room and get ready for bed?"_

_Harry yawned sleepily and nodded, picking up Hedwig and heading towards his room._

"_So what'd he finally decide on?" Sirius asked after a few minutes, descending the stairs and walking over to Remus, gathering the abandoned books with a flick of his wand._

"_Hedwig," Remus said as he pushed himself to his feet, stretching._

"_And here I was betting it would be Quidditch or Snitch," Sirius grinned. _

_Remus rolled his eyes, "Only _'you'_ would name your owl something like that, Padfoot." He moved passed his friend towards the stairs, "I'm going go say goodnight to him." _

_Sirius nodded and called to the werewolf's back, "Quidditch or Snitch are great names, I'll have you know!"_

_-A week later.- _

_Harry had never let Hedwig out of her cage before, a good deal too worried to do so. Not because he was scared of her being out, but because he was scared _'for'_ her. Merlin only knew all the different animals that were outside that could hurt her! Or worse…what if he let her go and she never came back? These were his trains of thought when it came to letting the young puffy white owl go. _

_However, after much coaxing from Sirius and Remus – who insisted that owls needed to hunt for more to eat than just 'owl treats' from their owners – Harry succumbed and let Hedwig out to stretch her wings. After nipping the Potter affectionately on the ear she had, of course, flown straight out the window…and at first the eight year old had been fine with this. But then nights went by…and more nights, and the snowy owl had yet to return. _

_The night that this truly hit home for the concerned Potter was on one that was particularly rainy…storming, in fact. Harry found himself standing in the middle of their large yard, emerald green eyes searching the skies for some indication that his owl was nearby, repeatedly brushing water off his glasses every few seconds. Thunder filled the night air as a particularly large bolt of lightening shot across the sky, illuminating the area eerily. _

_Harry gave a start, yelping slightly as he slipped on the wet grass, falling onto his bum. He moved to stand, but only to slip once more, and fall back. It was here, bringing his knees up some, that a sort of hopelessness filled the young boy. He had lost Hedwig, he was a terrible owner, and now he would never get her back. His body was trembling from both the cold of the water that had thoroughly soaked through his clothes and had plastered his hair down to his head, as well as the tears that began to fall in time with soft sobs, blending in amazingly well with the rain. _

"_Prongslet?!" called Sirius' desperate, concerned voice as he yanked the front door open, running into the night. It did not, however, take him long to find his Godson. "Prongslet! Harry, what are you—?" The bewildered Black, who was quickly becoming soaked himself, scooped the trembling child up, one arm under the boy's knees and the other behind his back, starting back towards their home where Remus stood worriedly in the doorway._

"_Harry…pup, what made you come outside in the pouring rain? You're bound to get sick! And without even saying anything…" Another bout of thunder sounded, and the Potter jumped slightly, soon turning and gripping his Godfather's shirt tightly, burying his face in the man's chest. The child certainly weighed more than he had when he was three, but he was still not as tall as the other kids his age, and was still light enough to carry without much of any difficulty. _

_Shortly enough the pair stepped through the threshold, Remus shutting the door behind them. Sirius gently set the eight year old down as the Lupin went for some towels. Water dripped off the Potter's hair and slid down his face as he continued to shiver, nibbling on his trembling lower lip. _

"_M'sorry…" he murmured, voice shaky, sensing the thick worry in the air. _

"_Prongslet…Harry…are you crying?" the dog Animagus inquired gently as his friend re-entered the sitting room, wondering if his intuition was right or if it was just the rain water. Remus tossed a towel to Sirius, who had hunkered down to his Godson's level, and then proceeded to wrap the other towel around the Potter._

"_H-H-Hedwig ran away!" Harry burst, throwing his arms around Sirius' neck as new sobs came. "She ran away…s-she doesn't like me…she won't e-ever come back!"_

"_Oh, kiddo…" Sirius wrapped his arms comfortingly around him, kissing the side of his head. "She hasn't run away! And of course she likes you! She's just getting to know the area, I promise. All owls have to do it, she'll be back soon…" _

_It took a good while for the two men to calm their charge once more, but eventually they did – and even got to dry him properly – before they both took him upstairs to change into some dry clothes. _

_The next morning found the snowy white bird snoozing on the child's stomach…and Harry had been ecstatic. …Though he had a cold for the next few days in retribution for his rainy night. _

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Harry smiled to himself, shaking his head a bit, before looking back at the parchment before him. Removing the end of the quill from his mouth, he set the tip to the parchment, and began in his childish scrawl,

_Dear Reggie,_

_Thank you for the box of Sugar Quills, they're really yummy! I wish you could have been here for my birthday, it was great! I got this pretty owl from Uncle Moony, and her name is Hedwig. When we come over for Christmas, I'll have to bring these awesome 'Quidditch Marbles' that Padfoot got me, I know you'll like them! Ron and his family came over to my house to throw me a surprise party, and even my friend Hermione got to come! I don't think she likes Ron, though, because he kept pulling her hair when she wasn't looking. She's a muggle, so Mr. Weasley was asking her tons of questions about batteries and stuff, but I don't think she figured out we were all wizards and witches…I think she just thought he was a weird man. _

_Draco didn't come because Mr. Snape never lets him come to my birthday parties, even when they're in the summer…not that Draco would have wanted to come anyway, because we're not outside friends…_

_I finally learned how to Flame the right way the other day! It used to make me super tired, but Padfoot has been helping me practice, and I can finally do it without getting tired…well, at least a few times without getting tired… Moony says I'll be able to do it however many times I want when I'm an adult and not get tired ever, so that's cool. I practice every day. Draco can do it, too, but with water…which _'really isn't as wicked'_, Padfoot told me. And Draco doesn't have a fun name for it, either, just…apparating. Isn't that boring? It's totally different from apparating… Flame-ing sounds a whole lot nicer. Maybe it's because Water-ing sounds like something you'd do to flowers…_

_Oh, I saw Miss Al—_

"Harry!" shouted both Sirius and Remus at the same time. The young Potter blinked a few times down at his letter before sighing.

"Coming!" he called, setting the quill down next to the parchment and pushing himself away from the desk some before standing.

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The two men were not surprised when a burst of flame appeared at the foot of the stairs, soon to reveal their young charge and disappear – quite seemingly – into him. He had taken to doing it at least once a day ever since the week before.

"Nice one, Prongslet," Sirius grinned, causing the Potter to grin in turn.

"Did you need something?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, we wanted to know—"

"And remember," Remus interrupted, "we don't mean this as any kind of 'replacing your parents' kind of way, because you know we'd never want to do that, but—"

"Of course he knows that, Remus, we only tell him that every Father's Day he insists on celebrating, why are you stating the obvious?" Sirius cut in, and the Lupin looked as though he was trying to control an outburst, clearly not wanting to fall down to his friend's level.

Harry glanced between the two childishly acting men with a bemused smile. Merlin, sometimes he even loved them more than usual…which was a lot. He could only imagine how boring other kids had it…like Draco, spending the summer with Mr. Snape.

"What we want to know is—"

"What Sirius is trying to ask is—"

Harry raised an amused eyebrow at the two, which in turn got them to close their mouths briefly.

Bluish-grey met amber for a moment before the two released a breath and said,

"Which one of us acts like the mother to the family?"

Harry could not help it, even if he had tried to prevent it…he burst into peals of laughter.

Sirius and Remus blinked a few times at this…unsure of how to label their Charge's reaction, but apparently finding nothing too humorous in their question...

The Potter heir caught onto this after a few beats, and was finally able to control himself long enough to say – the laughter lying just beneath his voice, ready to pounce, and it could be heard in his youthful voice – "You're being serious?"

"…Technically can't be anyone else," his Godfather replied with a faint smirk, and that pushed the Potter over into giggles once more.

The men let the laughter run it's course, until Harry finally had himself under control once more, continuing to look at him expectantly.

"Well…" the green eyed boy took in a deep breath and released it slowly, glancing between the two men pensively. "…both of you do…"

Bluish-grey and amber eyes widened to an almost comical size, both of his Guardian's jaws dropping in indignance and shock.

"I mean-!" Harry quickly amended, spotting this straight away, waving his hands in front of himself in a 'don't get the wrong idea' kind of way. "You're both like my…dads, and you're both like my…moms," he paused for a moment, somewhat confusing even himself in the process of trying to place words to his thoughts and feelings on the subject.

"See, here, sometimes Uncle Moony does mom stuff, like cooking and reminding me to brush my teeth, and other times he does dad stuff like play games with me and read books with me. And Padfoot, you can whine a lot to Moony and me sometimes…"

Remus, of course, decided he could live with this conclusion from his wise young cub, and allowed himself to sit back down in the recliner. He was a mixture. …And he was satisfied with that considering he had never had kids of his own. Just as long as he had not been labeled solely 'the mother', he was good. Sirius, however, spluttered, "B-But—"

"It's funny, though, your whining makes me smile Padfoot. And then, you can take forever in the bathroom, and Ron says his mum does the same, so…that's what makes you kinda like a mum. But then, you're like a dad, too, because you play Quidditch with me, and—"

"So we're both…" Sirius sighed, a little on the resigned side, realizing there was no way to change a view Harry already had in his mind.

"Mmhmm!" Harry nodded brightly walking over towards his Godfather, bringing a hand up to rub the back of his head sheepishly…before stopping and looking uncertainly up at him. "…is that okay?"

Sirius chuckled, shaking his head slightly before ruffling the eight year old's mess of hair affectionately, making it look all the more windswept.

"It's fine, kiddo…that's settles that, eh, dad/mum Moony?" Bluish-grey eyes trailed to the werewolf who smile amusedly and nodded, before plopping back down on his seat on the couch.

"That it does, dad/mum Padfoot."

Harry beamed.

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The eight year old boy returned to his room soon enough, Hedwig's amber eyes following him as he moved to sit back down at his desk.

"Their usual," the Potter supplied for the owl, as if the creature had actually been curious, before picking up his Sugar Quill, dipping it once more in ink, and returning to his letter.

—_exis a few weeks before my birthday! Padfoot still doesn't like talking about her, but Uncle Moony told me it was okay to visit Hogwarts if I wanted, because there aren't any classes in the summer time. We talked lots about Mr. Snape this time, and you know what I think? …I don't think he's such a bad man. But don't tell Padfoot that, though…I don't think he could ever like Mr. Snape. Miss Alexis told me all about how she and my mom had been friends with him when they were little and in school, so…I think he's just a grumpy man who forgot how to have fun. _

_Padfoot and Uncle Moony are having one of their days today…what did you call them? 'Old Married Couple Days'? I can't remember… But whatever it was, that's today. They'll be fine again here in a bit, I bet. They always are. _

_I wish you didn't have to live so far away, Reggie…it'd be really wicked if you lived closer to us, so we could see each other more, but…I know you can't. So it's okay. Maybe one day. _

_Anyway, I better finish this now, my friend's coming over here in a little while. Promise to write back, okay? _

_Love, your God-Nephew,_

_Harry James Potter_

The eight year old read over this for a few moments, checking to make sure it looked alright, before nodding and setting his quill down. This was the first time he ever wrote a letter to Regulus, and he really wanted to make sure it was good.

"Perfect," he smiled brightly, rolling the parchment up like Remus had shown him before placing it into the envelope, licking it closed on the designated spot, and writing Regulus' name on the envelope.

"Do you think you could take this to Reggie, Hedwig?" he asked once he finished, turning his gaze to the young owl. Hedwig gave a soft hoot, and Harry grinned, opening the cage door. "If you can't or anything, because it's too far and it's hard, just come back. I won't be mad," he informed her as he handed her the letter which she proudly took into her beak. Pushing himself to stand, he allowed the owl to hop into his hand, walking her over to the open window.

"Be careful, 'kay?"

She ruffled her feathers before taking flight out the window. Emerald green eyes watched her go for as long as he could see her, before sighing and turning around to find an amused blonde leaning in his doorway.

"Malfoy!" he said, briefly surprised. "When did you get here?"

"A minute ago. Black and Lupin just told me to come on up," the silver-grey eyed male provided with a casual shrug, moving into the room, turning the Potter's chair and dropping into it as easily as if it were his own. Harry rolled his eyes before going to his desk and pulling out a bag out of one of the drawers.

"Wanna play with my Quidditch Marbles?" he asked, pulling out another seat and sitting next to the boy. Draco nodded, and the Potter opened the bag and gently dumped them all out onto the desk. "Team?"

"Puddlemere United."

"Chudley Cannons," Harry said after.

The Potter's marbles were charmed so all you would have to do is say the names of two Quidditch teams and the marbles would morph into those teams and play a game on whatever surface they were situated on. Harry had played with them once at the dinner table, and food had ended up flying everywhere when players crashed into things, so he had hence forth refrained from doing that anymore…especially after the 'I _cannot_ believe you brought those to dinner' look in Moony's eyes.

The two boys spent the next while enjoying a game that could have very well been a live one with how great it was played. In the end, however, it was the Chudley Cannons that won out by catching the Golden Snitch.

"You've got these things rigged…" Draco pouted, glaring at the players as they all morphed back into marbles, landing on the table once more.

"Do not!"

"Hmph…"

Harry sighed before rolling all the marbles back into his bag and placing them into his desk drawer. It was here that he seemed to remember something, looking back at the blonde.

"Did you do it?" the Potter asked eagerly, earning himself a faint grimace from his clandestine friend.

"…Sadly," Draco replied after a beat. "And he wasn't happy. He wasn't happy _at all_. Sev _hates_ pranks… I can't believe I let you talk me into it…"

Harry could not help but snigger, and even Draco had to smirk a bit.

"You should've seen the look on his face, though…"

It had been Harry's suggestion. Fill all Snape's cauldrons with water every time the Potions Master was turned around, replace his ladles with either stones or flowers just as often, as well as his quills whenever he was going to write something down, and then whenever inquired about it – act completely innocent, if not a little offended.

Sirius had definitely been taking to teaching the young Potter in his father's footsteps…

"How about you? Did _you_ do it?" the Malfoy asked, curious.

"Yep…we should hear them crash here any minute," the Potter replied with a grin.

"They would have noticed…you use your hands more than I do for it," Draco sneered lightly.

"I actually had the perfect moment earlier where they didn't notice my hands at all, or the wind moving their laces…"

And sure enough, from downstairs came two resounding crashes, the unmistakable sound of men tripping over their own feet and heading straight for the floor.

"Bloody hell, Prongslet!" shouted Sirius in an 'I'm not sure whether to be affronted or proud' tone.

Childlike laughter filled Harry's bedroom.

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**A/N: **Chapter 36 over and done with! We have our eight year old Harry Potter. –Grins.- I'm roughly estimating for this story to have around fifty chapters or so, ending when Harry gets his Hogwarts letter. After which I shall start the sequel of Harry's Hogwarts years. So, how'd you like this chapter? Good, okay, somewhere in the middle, or abysmal? I'd love to know what you think; you guys are what keep me going. :-)

I have officially decided that a chapter posted for this story, automatically must mean a chapter posted for its prequel 'The Beginnings. So…double-whammy posting shall be going on from now on. I shall inform you if this needs to change for some reason. …Doubt it, though.

Anywho, onto this chapter's 'Curiosity Filler'!

"How many times have you read through the Harry Potter series? And how many times per-book, individually?"

As per-usual, I shall give you my answer when you give me yours. –Smiles.-

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, dear Readers! You guys are the best.

-Chloe

-Japanime1


	37. The Past Always Comes Back

**Disclaimer:** You want to know what I OWN?! I'll tell you what I OWN…nothing, nada, not a friggin' thing! How unfair is _that_ to my wallet?!

**Chapter Summary:** What goes around comes around, and when not properly buried...the past always returns full-face.

**A/N: **W00t, the fifth chapter since my long absence! How many of you believed we would get to this point in a weekly consecutive manner? Aren't you proud of me? :-) Well…_I'm_ proud of me, so I suppose that has to count for _something_, even if you're not… I mean, _I _don't want myself to fall back into the shadows for another year, m'not so sure about how you all feel on that subject… o.o'' Either way, though, that is not a part of the plans. The plan is to continue onward, continue forward, and enjoy life as I take out time here and there during the week to add on to my chapters, and post them on their normal designated weekend time. –Grins.- Also, credit where credit is due, parts of the flashback in this chapter come from the amazing MidniteMarauder. Anywho, thanks to all of you awesome people who reviewed, I love you guys a ton! Here's your chapter!

Chapter 37: The Past Always Comes Back

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"You're joking…" the male stated, not wanting to believe it. It could _not_ be true…it was _impossible_.

"I'm afraid not, my good sir," Xantos smirked, lounging easily in the other's sitting room armchair. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but—"

"B-But they _said_ if we si—"

"And you _believed_ them?" The casually dressed, muggle jeans and t-shirt, Death Eater rolled his eyes at this. "Not the smartest of choices, I must admit, and I would have thought you of all of those out there would be wary of such people's promises. Either way, if you let things stay as they are, they and their friends will go through with their plan, and you and your family will—"

"N-n-no! I _refuse_ to let that happen!!" the other roared almost desperately.

The raise in voice did not faze Xantos in the least, in fact, if the glint in his eyes were anything to go by, he almost preferred it. Interestingly enough, this mission of his was much more for his own means than for those of Lord Voldemort. If truth were told, Lord Voldemort did not even know about it…and 'Serpent' intended to keep it that way until he had finished this. If all things went according to plan, then the Dark Lord would benefit, and if not…well, at least Xantos, himself, would get some personal satisfaction.

Were the chances high of getting a Cruciatus Curse or two…or three, cast his way if he _'were'_ found out? Certainly! Assuredly! Undoubtedly! But of - _friggin' -_ course! ...Did that worry him, however? Naw. Being a Potter, and Voldemort being who he was, Xantos was more than a little used to pain...he shrugged it off mostly, in his mind, while making sure to 'ask for forgiveness' verbally, lest he get more than his fair share. See, Voldemort was pretty easy to appease and/or calm if you knew the right path to take in regard to him. Granted, it took Xantos a while to learn the ropes, not having been raised in a dark wizard family and all, but he eventually had.

"Then I'd suggest you act," the dark golden-brown haired wizard advised persuasively. "I'd suggest you fight back against them…their papers are only magical ones. According to legalized law on this side of the spectrum, things are quite different… Magic 'doesn't exist' after all. And if you get him back, and make sure he doesn't speak against you, then you're very much in the clear. They won't be able to touch you _or_ your 'lovely'," he cleared his throat at this, "family."

"…H-how do we go about it?"

"I'd recommend…starting with a letter," the cold hazel-eyed man replied, a strange smile twitching at the corners of his lips.

Yes…this mission was for Voldemort in the least of senses…if at all. This mission was for Xantos, himself, and for his own satisfaction, in truth. Young Draco Malfoy, while never having been told things directly from the source, but rather through unsanctioned thought reading, had shared far too many things with Xantos for him to sit back and not deal punishment where punishment was way _overdue_…

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The past always has a way of coming back. This holds true for very nearly everything…especially if such a past was never truly buried. Sirius more than anyone knew this, considering he had had to see Alexis Summerlin again after years of not seeing a bloody bit of her. Thankfully, he did not have to see her _much_, but considering she was re-inducted into the Order of the Phoenix, he certainly _had_ to see her from time to time. …Whoopty friggin' doo.

Much to Sirius' disappointment, time and distance apparently _'did'_ make the heart grow fonder, because his Godson _adored_ the girl. Bloody hell! He would have thought Harry would have grown out of it, and preferably dropped her like a ton of weights considering his Godfather disliked her, but Harry had not…he had just grown closer with her every time Remus – that double crosser – let him go and visit.

The twenty-eight year old man supposed he just had to accept that the past always had a way of coming back. He had to accept that his own personal bitterness was not shared by those around him, and that that was not exactly 'wrong'…it _should_ be that way, actually, he had to admit, despite not wanting to.

It was a mixture of all this that had the blacksheep of the Black family sitting rather gloomily in Dumbledore's office. The elderly wizard had called an abrupt Order meeting for just a few choice people, specifically Sirius, Remus, Severus, Alexis, and Arthur Weasley. The girl occasionally sent him the look that clearly stated 'I really wish you'd let me explain things to you, Sirius', but the bluish-grey eyed male would merely look away and occupy his gaze with a particularly interesting speck of lint on his robes.

"Voldemort has apparently found a suitable host body in Albania over the summer, Severus has informed me, but has decided that invading Azkaban at the moment would be most unwise," Dumbledore continued, not missing the clear tension between Sirius and Alexis, but knowing this to be far from the right time to make amused comments on it like he usually did. "It is apparent that he has decided to remain under the radar for a while longer, and has set his sights on something else to help him gain a body of his own – in case getting a hold of Harry again proves difficult."

"Did he mention what it was?" Remus asked, glancing briefly at Snape before returning his amber gaze to Dumbledore.

"He has apparently only mentioned it to a select few, among them Greyback, Xantos, and Yaxley," the Headmaster replied with a sigh. "Perhaps with time this information will reach Severus, as well."

Sirius looked like he wanted to retort something – likely along the lines of 'or Snivellus knows it all and is withholding bloody information!' – but refrained, knowing from a good deal of personal experience that verbally lashing out at the supposed 'spy' Death Eater only got him reprimands.

"Now then, onto the other…much more sobering matter for why I called you here today…"

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_Dear Harry, _

_Sorry it's taken my so long to respond, I wanted to make sure it did not seem obvious that post was flying between Ireland and England often. Hedwig is a beautiful owl, I bet you care a lot for her. I'm looking forward to seeing you again during the holidays, as well, and I can only imagine what 'Quidditch Marbles' are…Sirius and his extravagant gifts… Merlin. Anyway, I'm sorry I missed another birthday, but you know how I can't come down there…I'm glad you are enjoying the Sugar Quills, though. _

_A Malfoy and a Potter as friends…you couldn't have paid me in the past to even think that 'remotely' possible, especially considering James and Lucius… You really are an odd one, kid. _

_Congrats on Flaming, you'll have to show me next time you're up here. _

_Severus? Yeah, he's not half as bad as Sirius makes him out to be, I was good friends with him in school...well, secretly, anyway, because not many people accepted him in Slytherin for not being a pureblood. He was a little bookworm-ish, too, but he was interesting enough for a mudblood. _

_As to Sirius and Remus and their 'days'…that doesn't surprise me. Sirius would drive anyone mental and/or up a wall…_

_Anyway, it was a nice surprise to get a letter from you; it brightened my normally dull afternoon. If you write back, make sure it's not for a while, just in case… I look farward to hearing from you again, little guy. _

_Always,_

_Reggie_

Harry read over this with a large smile on his face for the millionth time since he had gotten it two days ago. It was his first letter ever, delivered by his own owl, and it was something he cherished.

"—and I mean, what's her problem? She gives me that look everytime! I only pulled her hair four times! …Hey," the Weasley said skeptically, "are you even listening, Harry?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry…"

"Riiight. How many times are you going to read that letter?" Ron joked amusedly.

"Dunno yet," Harry answered, folding the letter and placing it back in his pocket.

"I've never gotten a letter before, so I guess I don't know what it's like," the red head sighed.

Harry nodded slightly with a smile, "It's fun."

The young Potter shivered once from where he sat on the grass on the moderately warm October afternoon, bringing his hands up to rub at his arms.

"Are ya cold?" Ron inquired from where he sat next to him, somewhat perplexed, petting Amber who had her head resting on his lap. She was a lot bigger now, not nearly the small pup/cub she had been all those years ago, but she was still as playful and affectionate as ever.

"No, not really, it was just a shiver I guess," the Potter replied with a reassuring smile, dropping his hands to his lap once more, feeling unexplainably uneasy for some reason, but seeing no true reason to voice it.

"Wish we didn't have baby sitters…" the red head commented jadedly, glancing across the lake where Percy and Charlie stood talking to their friends, looking over at the boys every now and then to make sure they were still there.

"Well, we have been such non-trouble-seeking kids, Ron, I can't imagine why anyone would think someone should watch us…" Harry replied jokingly, glancing out over the shimmering lake as well.

"…Ah, yes…there's that…"

'Harry Potter' visiting Hogwarts had eventually become very widespread news throughout the school over the years, and the students often looked forward to seeing him. But ever since too many students asked him more than appropriate questions about his past, and Voldemort, Dumbledore had made sure to order the school to not bother him on the occasions that he visited.

However one person in particular, besides the Weasley family, always tended to break this rule.

"Wotcher, Harry, Ron!"

The two eight year old's heads both snapped in the direction of the voice, quickly to be greeted with a yellow and black robed female with a pale heart-shaped face and spiky pink hair…who then promptly tripped.

"Tonks!" both boys called concernedly, scrambling to their feet – Ron bumping Amber in the process. The wolf-like-tiger animal gave what could have easily been a huff before marching off for Hagrid's hut while the two children rushed to the fifteen year old girl's aid.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she assured them, though allowing them to both grab onto one of her two hands to help her up before she dusted off her Hufflepuff school uniform. "I'm such a klutz..."

Harry and Ron shared a smile before looking back up at the girl.

"Just a little," the Weasley boy grinned.

"Funny," the daughter of Sirius' favorite cousin replied dryly.

"Did you just get out of class?" Harry asked curiously.

"Mmhmm, Muggle Studies with Professor Quirrell," the girl shrugged looking around as if expecting to see someone else together with Harry and Ron.

"…Looking for someone?" Ron inquired with a bemused expression.

"Oh…er…" she seemed to blush faintly before shaking her head, removing the blush, and answering, "I just thought…you know, Sirius and…erm…Remus…might have been around with you two."

"They're up inside the castle talking with Professor Dumbledore," said the raven haired boy. "They've been talking for a while, I bet they're almost done, so you'll probably be able to see them soon."

"Brilliant," the girl smiled brightly before plopping down on the soft grass, soon to be joined by the eight year olds.

"So…any animal face requests from you two?" she asked encouragingly, earning herself wide grins from the boys.

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An incredulous, if not stunned, silence filled Dumbledore's office following his reading of the letter he had received earlier that morning, the minds of the occupants going a mile a minute.

…_What_?

"W-wait…" Sirius said slowly, disbelievingly, after the pregnant pause, "…what are you _saying_? Y-you can't--"

"They want him _back_?" Remus repeated softly, in disbelief, his voice somewhat shaky. "They _want_…him back? I…how? _Why_?" He shook his head before stating, obviously, his voice gaining some strength back, "It's been five _years_! He's _ours_!"

Dumbledore nodded solemnly, not having thought the Dursley's would think to bring actual Muggle law against Wizarding one. It was relatively impossible for the Dursley's to have know that under Wizarding law, the custody papers were in Sirius' and Remus' names, but that in Muggle law Harry still belonged to his blood relations…that is, they would not have known without the help of someone with knowledge of such law differences.

An alarming event, indeed, and one the Hogwarts Headmaster had truly not foreseen in the slightest.

The Dursley's wanted their nephew back immediately…would not tolerate him living with people that would fill his head with magic mumbo-jumbo nonsense. Would not tolerate the breaking of Dumbledore's promise of 'not taking them to court if they signed the papers he had brought them', as their informant had told them. Would not tolerate _another_ fake assurance, and wanted the son of Petunia's sister inside the walls of their house by tomorrow evening, or the Muggle police would be called to report quite the kidnapping.

"No…_no_, like _hell_ we're giving him back to _them_!" Sirius shouted as this all finally sunk in to his very core, rattling him something terrible before he pushed himself roughly, albeit shakily, to his feet, bluish-grey eyes flashing dangerously. "Going back would _crush_ him! We promised him we'd _never_…! He's only _just_ starting to really move passed the hold they had on him, there's no _way_--!"

"I'm afraid we might not have much of a choice in the matter, Mr. Black…for the time being…" the elderly wizard cut in gently, and Sirius' shook his head in a slow, almost pleading, 'you _can't_ be telling me this' kind of way before swallowing back emotion that was threatening to take over.

Snape continued to stand indifferently at the back of the room, mind going over all of this information, however successfully hiding his surprise. Who cared if Potter had to go back to his aunt and uncle, anyway? Certainly not him. It would do the little spoiled brat some good… Arthur, on the other hand, was just as incredulous as Sirius and Remus, dread filling him…

Stomach rolling over in anger, the elegant ebony haired male opened his mouth for what could have easily become a shouting fest – Merlin knew he _had_ inherited the infamous Black temper, despite the usual care-free disposition most saw – but he was soon cut off.

"Sirius…" Alexis said unsteadily, bringing his attention to her, and she could feel her chest tighten at the resonating despair and loss evident in his eyes… "…Don't…" This last bit was said barely above a whisper; the girl's eyes shimmering with held back tears.

The Black studied her for a moment, taking in a long shaky drag of breath, before allowing Remus to pull him back down into his chair. Was there really…_nothing_ they could do? They _had_ to do this? Had to give Harry up? Just like that? No fight?

"They're prepared to call Muggle law enforcement into the matter if we do not, which will ultimately only get Harry taken away, regardless. The Ministry of Magic respects Muggle law, so if we want to reverse this, we'll have to bring the case before a Muggle judge… Which we _will_ do; it is the only way to fight this back."

"But it's been _years_…" Remus choked out. "…There's no…there's no physical _proof_ anymore."

"There's an eye-witness in Arabella Figg, and young Harry, himself, could testify against his fami—"

"They're _not_ his family," Sirius growled through clenched teeth. "_No one_ who could do what they did to a child, could _ever_ be called their family."

"Mr. Black, I understand how you feel, but—"

"NO! You _don't_ understand!" the Black roared, jumping back to his feet, fists clenched, nails digging into his palms, and Remus, Arthur, and Alexis shrunk back slightly in their seats. "You haven't _raised_ him like Remus and I have! You may _wish_ you understood, but you _can't_! If this whole thing was even remotely possible, why didn't we do this _first_? Why didn't we go to Muggle court _first_, and make them pay for what they'd done _then_??" he demanded, furious.

"I had been positive at the time that they would never reali—" Dumbledore began to explain soothingly, apologetically, however seemingly unaffected by the young male's response other than a sadness in his normally twinkling blue eyes.

"Well you were _bloody friggin'_ _wrong_, weren't you!!" Sirius yelled, and the Headmaster had to close his eyes. The Black's whole body seemed to be shaking, his breathing heavy. "I can't…I _can't_…I _won't_…" And with that he turned and stormed from the office, slamming the large oak door behind him.

Remus, who while very nearly agreeing with every last thing his best friend said, and who was doing his best to not have an outburst of his own, moved to stand, but Alexis beat him to it.

"I'll go make sure he doesn't do anything rash," she said quickly, emotion evident in her voice, before she moved passed them all and out the door as well.

Amber eyes gratefully watched her go, before he released an unsteady breath. He was barely controlling his own emotions, there was a slim chance he would be able to help calm someone else's.

"Is there really…is there really _no_ other way, professor? We…we have to _really_…" His throat locked on him at the mere thought of seriously having to take Harry back, regardless for how short of time they could try and make it.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Lupin…"

And it was the deep sincerity in his old Headmaster's words that finally broke Remus Lupin down, the lycanthrope burying his face in his hands.

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He _could_ not… He _would_ not… Merlin, how was it even possible _for_ him to?! He had lost James, his other half, which had nearly killed him…to lose Harry would somehow be even worse, he knew, which was definitely saying something. Harry was his world, his…his everything. Regardless of how short a time their separation could be, the mere _thought_ of knowing what kind of people he would be leaving the eight year old with… The mere thought of not being able to do a thing to protect him…

He _could_ not…_would_ not…

Emotion choked the Black, biting back a sob as he closed the vacant, desk-less classroom door behind him, turning and slamming a fist against the stone wall…not that that helped him any, he realized with a sharp hiss, because now his fist was throbbing like no tomorrow. No, instead, he leaned his back against the wall and allowed himself to slide to the floor, resting his head back against the cold wall – which felt nice, considering how hot his skin felt -, cradling his throbbing hand slightly as his tear shimmering eyes closed tightly.

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_-Flashback.-_

_"I'm going to be a _father_!" James shouted for the four-thousand, three-hundred and eighty-sixth time in the last seven months. And just as he had for the last four-thousand three-hundred and eighty-five times, Sirius – walking around Godric's Hollow with his best mate - rolled his eyes, sighed, and refrained from smacking James upside the head._

It's a disease…he can't help it if he's an idiotic, prat, poncy little git.

_He merely imagined smacking James upside the head, grinned, and felt a lot better for it._

_"I know! I can't believe it, either!" James said, completely oblivious, carrying on the conversation as if he had been responded to. "Me! Bloody hell! But…Pads, I've got a huge favor I need ask you..."_

_"Lily's tired of your pitifully undersized prick, and she finally wants a real man, mainly me, to—"_

_"No, y'friggin wanker, it's not about me or my prick, and Lily is more than satisfied, thankyouverymuch. It's about my kid. …My son…or daughter. Merlin, what if it's a _girl_? _I've never been around a baby girl, I don't know anything about them_!"_

_"Well, to put it simply, mate, they definitely don't have pricks, trust me. They're too preoccupied with their hair and clothes than is strictly healthy, and they get pissy every month. Actually, you should be used to the pissy part of the deal, you lived with Moony for seven years, too," he added, plopping down on a random bench. _

"_I'm sure Moony'll be ecstatic to find out who you associate him with. And thanks millions, because I didn't know any of that shite already," he deadpanned, before rolling his eyes and plopping himself down next to the dog Animagus. "No I – don't start with me, Pads -- I'm trying to ask you something _serious_, and so help me Merlin if you interrupt me to make some daft pun about being 'Sirius', I'll hex your bullocks off."_

_Sirius laughed his bark-like laughter, before saying, "Okay, okay I'll let you ask, but I'll tell you right now, I'm not changing any diapers. No sir, if I wanted that job, I'd have knocked someone up mysel—"_

_"We want you to be the baby's Godfather, you friggin' ponce!" James said, and smacked his friend upside the head._

_Sirius stared at the hazel-eyed Potter. "Godfather? …That thing catholic Muggles do?"_

_"Yeah, basically, Lils was telling me about it…some wizards do it, too," James said. "Don't you have a Godfather?"_

_"'My' family adopt a Muggle tradition? Hell no," Sirius laughed. _

"_Good thing you're not like them, then, eh? Anyway, You'd _better_ say yes."_

_"Y'know, Prongsie, Lily would have been kinder about asking me..."_

_"Does that mean 'yes'?"_

_The words 'of course, you damn arse,' rose to his lips, but he paused as the realization sank in. He had no idea what a Godfather was...let alone their job. He sat back on the bench, turning truly thoughtful and serious for the first time all afternoon._

_"Sirius?"_

_"Merlin, Prongs, I have no idea what it even means to _be_ a Godfather…how am I s'posed to--"_

_"Oh, well." James brought a hand up and scratched his head. "I think Muggles do some elaborate stuff, with blood and wine and what-not…weird stuff, maybe a sacrifice to their God or something…"_

_Sirius went a little pale, and James laughed. _

"_Relax, mate. For us—me and Lils, I mean—we just want you to, you know, be there for him—or her—like real family, only more, and, well, if anything ever happened to me or Lily …"_

_Sirius did not need or want him to finish that sentence. The future looked grim enough as it was, with Voldemort's power and his followers growing with every passing day…the current state of the Wizarding world was not a comforting one._

_"Yeah," he said. "I'd do all that for your kid anyway, you know. You do know that, don't you?"_

_"Yeah. I know," James nodded with a smile, "You've always been family to me, you don't need a title for that… But after Lils told me about it…well, _'I'_ wanted to ask."_

_"And y'know what? It'll be a nice touch to add another 'in your face' to the family. My mum'll go completely mental, you know she will." He shook his head. "Me…a Godfather."_

_James smirked, eyes twinkling with their usual mischief. "She'll get the first announcement."_

"_Merlin…I know I'm going to sound as idiotic as you do, but… 'I'm going to be a Godfather!" The Black bounced a little with a giddy, lopsided grin plastered onto his face._

_-Two Months Later.-_

_The first time James Potter, beaming with pride, carefully handed baby Harry to Sirius…the first time Sirius Black had held the little bundle in his arms…there had been no magical moment similar to it. …None. _

_The Black had balked at first, terrified of dropping the small thing, but once he finally had the baby there in his arms securely, bright emerald green eyes staring up at him curiously beneath an already accumulated tuft of raven black hair…it was like the magic of old. _

"_Prongs, he's got your hair…poor kid…" he joked. _

_He smiled, however, and smoothed Harry's hair, which unsurprisingly refused to lay flat. _Prongsie's heritage lives on... But it looks like he's going to have Lilikin's eyes, _he thought to himself. But despite all these various thoughts…he felt it. Felt the connection between himself and the baby, the strong and uncontrollable desire to take care of him, to protect him…_

I'll always be there for you, kiddo, _he thought to himself. _…Little Prongslet. I mean, it. I'd die before I let anything happen to you…  
_  
The instantaneous way he felt about Harry had come as a thorough surprise to him. He loved Remus and Peter and Lily, sure. And James, of course there was James. He could try and tell you how he felt about the messy haired Potter, but words would fail him…there was no describing how he felt about James. Minerva McGonagall, their Head of House had often remarked that they were two bodies sharing the same brain, and while she meant it to make fun, Sirius had taken it as a compliment. James was the person to whom he had poured out all the contents of his soul, and vice-versa, the good and bad together from both of them, and with the gentlest of hands the two had taken and sifted though it all, keeping what was worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blown the rest away. No matter how cheesy that might sound to the world, it was true. He and James were as close as any two people who were not sleeping together could possibly be, and he had never really given his feelings much thought before. Well, he had thought about them, but he had never felt a need try and put words to it._

_But Harry was different. Here was a baby who would spend most of the time sleeping, eating, pooping, and crying for attention… He would not understand a word you said to him for at least almost a year and could not even speak English, so it was not like it was possible to have a proper conversation, and yet…_

_Yet, this child was the most precious thing in the world to Sirius. From that moment on, every spare moment he could possibly find, he spent with his godson…swiftly developing his 'Separation Anxiety' disorder that he complained of as an excuse every time he visited Lily and James' home. _

_  
He had never really considered having children of his own…while he joked about it, he was actually uncertain on how wise it would be to carry on the bloodline of a family such as his. Either way, he did not need a child by blood any more than he needed a family by blood. _James_ was his brother, _Lily_ had become the sister he had never had, and _Harry_ was his heart's child, and that was enough…that was perfect and fine with the bluish-grey eyed young adult. _

_The newborn yawned, eyes slowly closing, and turned his face toward Sirius' chest, one tiny hand clenching at his shirt._

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Alexis Summerlin found Sirius with his face in his hands on the floor of the unused classroom he always could be found in when he wanted to be alone – which was rare, but had occasionally happened during their school years – and she knew he had to have tears falling, despite how quiet he was. Merlin, even she had tears, and she was not the one who had lived five years with her best friend's son and now had to return him to people who likely so much as hated him…no matter how short a time it would be.

"…Siri…" she murmured softly, moving to slid down to the floor beside him, before tentatively wrapping an arm around his shoulders comfortingly…the action reminding her so much of the same that she had done for the male – her boyfriend at the time - at Mary and Harold Potter's funeral.

The Black lifted his head slowly, red, puffy eyes moving to stare at her with a deeper sense of anguish than she had seen earlier. He had apparently not even heard her come in.

"Alex…" he rasped, voice strained.

His emotion-filled voice broke her heart, and she pulled him gently against her side, his head coming to rest against her shoulder, their past frozen in the actual past for the moment as the man allowed himself to sink into the comfort of her he had so relished when he had been younger.

"I'm here…it's going to be alright, Siri, you're not alone… It won't be for long…Dumbledore won't let it be, you know that. It's better to lose him for a few days, than for forever, right? …You'll have him before the week is out."

"…That's too _long_…" Sirius moaned, burying his face into her shoulder; leaving Harry with those Muggles was definitely the way to break his bloody promise...Prongs had to be rolling in his grave. "A _day_, even, would be _too_ long…"

"We're going to get him back…" the strawberry blonde assured once more, feeling the small tremors coursing through the body against her.

"H-how am I supposed to _tell_ him?"

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**A/N:** Okay, so I feel like crying now, so I'm going to stop… Cliffie, yes? …M'sorry. :-(

So this is it for chapter 37. I know the last chapter did not do much in plot movement, but I had felt a nice transition chapter, since I'd done an age skipping, would be a good thing…more so considering the chapters I had planned to follow it. –Sighs.- …Angst makes me sad… But it's necessary in stories from time to time, I must admit. Fluff can't be twenty-four-seven... –Sighs again.- Anywho, tell me what you all think, yes? I'd love to hear your opinions.

I really need to go eat some chocolate now…

And, on a lighter note, onto this chapter's 'Curiosity Filler'!

"If you could have any _one_ wizarding spell at your disposal, one and only one, that you could use infinitely, which one would it be?"

And, of course, as I'm sure you know by now, I shall reply with my answer once you tell me yours! :-)

Until next time, dear Readers,

-Chloe

-Japanime1


	38. No One Said Life Was Fair

**Disclaimer:** You want to know what I OWN?! I'll tell you what I OWN…nothing, nada, not a friggin' thing! How unfair is _that_ to my wallet?!

**Chapter Summary:** Harry finds out...

**A/N:** I must say, that it's times like these that I'm glad I'm working on both my stories at the same time, because while one's currently lighthearted, the other can counter-act for me by being not-so-lighthearted, and vice-versa. Never a dull moment. Erm… I apologize for the last chapter's cliffy, and the general grief that came with the 'thought of Harry going back to the Dursley's'… Most of you all reminded me of Sirius! –Smiles lightly.- Which I think is actually pretty good, because that means you love him as much as I do. –Grins.- You all know that song D.H.T. song 'Listen To Your Heart'? …I was listening to it like…non-stop while I wrote this chapter. Actually, I'm always listening to 'some' song over and over while I type a chapter…I'm such a music addict! xD Siriusly! Music gives me inspiration… Anywho, enough on all of that, on with the chapter!

Chapter 38: No One Said Life Was Fair

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There are many different types of loss in this pitiless world. There is the loss of a parent the loss of a sibling, the loss of a lover or spouse, the loss of a grandparent, the loss of a pet, the loss of a close friend, just to name a few… And what brings all these substantially diverse levels of loss together? ...More often than not, it is heartache; the feeling of having a piece of one's very essence being ripped right out of them.

But of all of these various forms of personal and emotional loss, there is likely none worse than that of losing a child. As most first-time parents come to realize, their world revolves around their child…that miniature human is their everything; their pride, their joy, their heart, their laughter, their air, their very _life_. Every single smile from the shy to the excited that they get from the youngster, every giggle, every attempt the child does to copy them, every grin, every smirk, every discussion, every hug, every kiss on the cheek, every 'I Love You' is worth more than the purest of pure gold.

The sad part of all of this is that while most receivers of loss believe they cherish what they have…they do not realize just _how much_…until it is gone…or well on its way to _'being'_ gone.

No one in all of Wizarding England could better understand this concept - this horrendous feeling - at this precise moment in time save for Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin. Never had they thought that they might lose their very 'light to the shadows', the most precious person to them, a mere – terribly short in their opinion – five years after getting him back in their lives. And not only did they have to lose him, but they had to return him – personally, because it was not like they would let anyone else do it – to the very same child abusing Muggles they had saved him from.

They supposed it was kind of stupid of them, the past two years, to assume – thanks to nothing bad transpiring – that maybe life had finally decided to be fair to them…maybe it had finally decided to make up to them the loss of the love and friendship of Lily and James Potter. Just maybe… But how wrong they had been. 'Assume' really did make an 'Ass' out of 'u' and 'me'. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me…and now life was just laughing at them for falling for it so easily.

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Sirius was not sure, exactly, for how long he had been resting in Alexis' warm embrace, soaking up what little comfort he could find considering the prospect of what laid before him…was not sure, exactly, for how long he had sobbed against her…but what he did know was that when he turned his red, puffy gaze towards the empty classroom's window, the sun seemed to be setting…and he seemed to have rung himself dry of tears. He felt spent.

"…We should probably go…" he heard himself murmur reluctantly, voice a little croaky. Leaving would mean facing reality, when staying would just be so much less difficult to bear, but he knew he could not delay things forever.

"…Yeah, probably," the Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts professor sighed softly. "Are you sure you're…okay?"

The Black gave a humorless, dry chuckle that had her almost shiver with a sudden feeling of chilly recollection…it was the same kind of chuckle he had given the day he had found out about her and Xantos Potter. His head lifted off her shoulder a bit, so as to actually look at her properly, bluish-grey eyes so much duller than she was used to seeing them…they lacked that mischievous twinkle they always tended to hold. "…I'll be as far from okay as possible until Remus and I have Harry with us for good."

And for a moment she was sure he was going to be overcome with another wave of emotion, but he closed his eyes and took in a steadying breath, releasing it slowly, to fight it back. He had to get a better grip on himself, he knew, he had to be stronger than this…for Harry's sake.

"I'm so sorry…" she murmured, and the restrained emotion in her own voice gave clear evidence to her sincerity. "…I…I wish this didn't have to happen to you, Siri. …You don't deserve it."

It was the feeling of lips pressed gently against his temple that made the Black open his eyes once more, realizing guiltily quickly that maybe he was being rather selfish. After all…he had held so much against Alexis over the years…been bitter, despite knowing that it was clear that she really regretted what she had done to him, truly wished it had never happened…and these past two years he had been pretty much an arse to her, even with Harry and Remus welcoming her with open arms as a friend. And yet, even with all that, here he was taking this all in – comfort she was offering him that he did not feel that, from her, he was warranted…how could she still…love him? – but that yet he was not rejecting. A little selfish? Maybe. …Yeah.

"I know…" he whispered when she pulled back to look at him, and perhaps it was the softness in his tone that led her to understand that he meant that as more than just her being sorry for what was going to happen with Harry. Her clear blue eyes shimmered with new tears. For a moment he had the biggest urge to kiss her, to tell her he completely forgave her, to tell her they would be all right again, that he still loved her deeply… But he did not think he was ready for all that. Not right now…not in the midst of losing Prongslet. …He was vulnerable; not ready… He was…he was nowhere _near_ ready. …That would take time.

"Thanks, Alex…I really…well…it means a lot to me that you came down here for me…" he smiled a faint, wavering smile, forcing lips to twitch in the opposite direction from which they wanted to go considering the circumstances, before sliding out of her arms and pushing himself gingerly to his feet. Out-stretching a hand to the strawberry blonde, he helped her up to her feet as well. "We should go…"

"Yeah, lets go," she nodded, composing herself a bit before dusting off her robes. "…And, it was nothing, really. …You're welcome."

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

By the time Sirius and Alexis returned to Dumbledore's office, Remus had had time, as well, to get a better hold on himself. He had taken all of this as hard as Sirius had, if not maybe a little harder – if that was possible – but was just really much better at keeping things inside. …Sometimes he wished he was not…

Arthur had been a lot of help, actually, though, telling him that he and Molly would do everything they could to help in this…that they were there for the family of three. Granted, Remus was unsure of what all the Weasley's _'could'_ do, but just the thought that there was a family out there that cared so much for Sirius, Harry, and him really did mean a lot to the Lupin.

Amber eyes looked up as the oak door opened and Sirius entered for the second time that day, followed by Alexis. The Black's gaze met the Lupin's, both echoing the same feelings with one look…they were going to lose Harry, however short a time it may be, and the mere thought was devouring them from the inside out.

The Alexis and Sirius took their previous seats on either side of Remus, the canine Animagus opening his mouth but being cut off by Dumbledore.

"There is no need to apologize for earlier, Mr. Black…I had actually been expecting something akin, I assure you," the elder wizard smiled sadly. "I imagine the two of you…would prefer tomorrow over today, in regards to your temporary separation from Mr. Potter, am I correct?" …That was Dumbledore for you. Straight to the topic at hand. Better to pull the band-aid quickly rather than slowly lest it just hurt more to remove.

The last true remaining two of the infamous Marauders released heavy sighs and nodded at this. Of course they were going to take the extra friggin' day! The knowledge that they had to take Harry back to the Dursley's was killing them enough as it was, how much worse would it be without a proper, temporary, good-bye?

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The Order meeting was dismissed soon after, Dumbledore informing Sirius and Remus of specific information they needed to remember when speaking to Harry concerning their current situation. Information that neither found particularly comforting in the least, but reluctantly knew just as well were rules best followed.

Sirius, Remus, and Arthur made their way slowly through the corridors of Hogwarts, silence reigning between them. It was actually not until they were nearing the Entrance Hall that either of the three spoke at all.

"…I can't do this…" the ebony haired man whispered to himself, running a hand restlessly though his elegant hair.

"Sirius," Remus implored, glancing back at the male who had stopped walking, Arthur doing the same, coming to a stop themselves in the empty corridor.

"Moony! This is a _death_ sentence for him, and we both _know_ it…" the Black murmured in a somewhat loud whisper. "He's not allowed to use magic on them because they're _Muggles_? We can't go and stay with him _ourselves_ while he's there because the Dursley's won't bloody approve of it? They're going to _kill_ him!"

Remus nibbled on his lip and shook his head once, mostly in denial. "We won't leave him there long enough…" he began uncertainly.

"_Five minutes_ would be enough! Dursley's a _whale_ of a man! Ugh…we can't _do_ this!"

A good deal of the color in the lycanthrope's face left, making him appear a good deal paler than he usually was. He knew Sirius had a point…a horribly valid one, but…but…"Then what's our _second_ option, Padfoot? Run? We'd be fugitives! We can't do that to Harry, either!"

"At least he'd be _with_ us and _alive_!" Sirius retorted almost desperately, like a drowning child trying to grab onto _'something'_ for survival.

"We'd have Muggle _and_ Wizarding authorities chasing after us - that'd be mental! - and it'd only be delaying the inevitable! We'd lose Harry thanks to _misconduct_!"

Sirius groaned, leaning back against the corridors stonewall. He felt like punching a wall again, for lack of other objects, but his right hand still throbbed in remembrance from earlier, and so he thought better of it. "If only there was some way we could—" _go with him and 'not be recognized for it'…_ the Black let the rest of his sentence die on his lips, bluish-grey eyes widening to an almost comical size as he stared off into nothing.

"W-what is it, Sirius?"

"…We're taking him back," the twenty-eight year old replied distantly.

"…Is he _usually_ this much off his rocker?" Mr. Weasley inquired gently.

"_Usually_ it's just for show…" Remus answered awkwardly.

_I'm going with him! _Sirius thought to himself with a definite nod, jumping away from the wall to face the two men in front of him, who merely blinked a few times, clearly confused.

"Siri--?" the Lupin began bemusedly, though the flicker of their usual brightness that had entered his best friend's eyes gave him an odd sense of hope in the midst of the loss.

"We'll talk about it later, come on…it's getting late."

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Emerald green eyes glanced warily between a hesitant Lupin and an uncertain Black. Something had happened up in the castle, he knew, and now they wanted to talk to him. They had been acting odd and very much off kilter ever since coming to get him earlier…their emotions had been everywhere and nowhere, and they did not even joke around and talk with Tonks like they usually did… Actually, even Mr. Weasley had not seemed up to his usual. Perhaps under other conditions – them not having taken so long, for one - this might not bother Harry so much…but for some reason it all gave him a horrible sense of dread…of foreboding. In fact, something told him he likely did not want to hear what they were going to say…

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_-Fifteen minutes earlier.-_

"_It's getting late…" Tonks murmured, returning to her normal appearance after having just done her best at impersonating a duck. The sky had taken a very twilight hue, darkness soon to be falling completely, and it was definitely getting a bit chilly. _

"_Yeah…" Harry nodded, glancing back towards the castle. He felt unease about the idea…Padfoot and Moony had never taken this long talking to Professor Dumbledore before. _

"_I bet they'll be done here in a—" Ron began, but was promptly cut off. _

"_Padfoot! Uncle Moony!" the messy raven haired eight year old next to the red head called before scrambling to his feet quickly, easily having spotting the approaching men, relieved to see them. _

_Ron was up a moment later, followed by Tonks who was smiling brightly. _

"_Wotcher, Sirius! Remus!" she greeted as the men approached, "Hullo, Mr. Weasley. Took you all long enough. I told Charlie and Percy they could go on inside for dinner, and that'd I'd watch these two," the pink haired Hufflepuff relayed, nodding towards Ron and Harry. "They ate already, too, because Charlie came back out to bring 'em some stuff from the Great Hall."_

"_Thank you, Nympha—er, Tonks," Remus amended quickly at her developing glare. "We appreciate it." He offered the girl a weary smile that caused her to blush faintly - not that he noticed - before shifting his attention to Harry who was looking up at his Guardians with a contemplatively odd look on his face. _

"_Is something…wrong?" the young Potter inquired tentatively after a moment, his earlier relief all-too-quickly being replaced by confusion. Padfoot and Moony's emotions were…whirlwinds, really, but Harry had been able to pick his way through them to spot certain ones that did not make him feel good – himself – at all. Loss, anguish, reluctance, anger, fear, apprehension, dread, grief, pain… What had happened up in the castle? The fact that his question merely intensified the emotions he felt off the two men only made things more confusing. _

"_Er…" Sirius shifted his gaze back to Tonks, ignoring his Godson's question for the moment, opting for that rather than lying. "We've really got to be going, Dora…" _

"_Awe, but I was hoping—"_

"_Maybe next time, yeah?" Remus cut in kindly, and the fifteen year old sighed. _

"_Oh, alright…" she conceded resignedly. "I guess I should probably be going to get dinner, anyway… See you Harry, Ron, it was fun," she offered the boys a wave, smiled at Sirius, Remus, and Arthur, and moved passed the group towards the castle. _

"_Bye Tonks!" the young boys called after her, Harry a little less enthusiastic than Ron was. _

_Remus and Sirius did not look like they wanted to linger or talk much on the Hogwarts grounds…in fact, as far as Harry could tell – which was a lot – they looked to be doing their best to stay as composed as they currently were, which made the young Potter feel a good deal nervous…if not a little surreal. What had happened? They had never acted like this before…_

_Harry soon found himself saying his good-byes to Ron and Mr. Weasley – who actually bent down to hug him tightly, which only added to how surreal things were beginning to feel – before being led towards the edge of the Hogwarts ward boundaries. _

_He wanted to say something, to ask again about what was wrong, but found himself merely biting his lip, instead, closing his eyes tightly, waiting silently as the familiar sensation of apparating occurred, left hand being held by Padfoot and the right by Moony. Opening his eyes once more a moment later, he found himself a few feet in front of their home, night having fallen by now, the place looking oddly ominous with no lights on. _

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"Prongslet…Harry, you know…I mean, you know how much we love you…don't you?" Sirius began tentatively, doing his best to keep himself in check – easier said than done, as he was quickly realizing - , Remus doing the same next to him. The three occupants of Marauders Abode could be found sitting cross-legged on the floor in their sitting room, the older two leaning back against the sofa, Harry in front of them, forming what could have been described as a triangle.

Harry's young - and still so innocent - eyes continued to glance between them uncertainly before responding with, "Of course I do, Padfoot…and I love you guys, too,"

Sirius and Remus felt their chests tighten at this response…it hurt, it hurt worse than anything, because Harry was so sincere about it…so sincere about loving them back, and now look what they had to _tell_ him!

"Cub," Remus began, deciding that one of them had to direct the topic in the direction it needed to go, and not wanting that person to have to be Harry's own Godfather, "…Dumbledore got a letter today from…your aunt and uncle."

Confusion shone in the Potter heir's eyes for a beat before comprehension dawned on him, a flicker of alarm passing through his green gaze, heart speeding up a bit in his chest. "H-He…h-he did?"

The two men nodded solemnly. _Merlin_, why did this have to happen! How did the Dursley's even find _out_ about the difference between laws?? Who had been their bloody _informant_? Whoever it had been, the two men were already thinking of none-too-pleasant ways to rip them apart piece by piece.

"W-what…er…" the messy haired boy began. Oh, he did not want to know! But he found himself clearing his throat a little and asking anyway, "…why did they write him?" As his Guardian's emotions deepened, something hit him…pieces started coming together…the emotions, the foreboding, the unease…this was about _him_. The Dursley's had written about _him_. That was why the emotion that danced just beneath the surface of the two across from him was so intense…why they looked like someone had told them someone they knew had died.

Harry felt like he had just been doused in a bucket of cold ice water. "It was about _me_…" he concluded aloud in a whisper, more to himself than the other two, just as Sirius had began to trust himself enough to open his mouth.

Sirius and Remus looked more than a little surprised at their charge's aptitude for deduction…how easily he was able to perceive things; they could almost see his thought process through his expressive gaze. "Harry, they want you—"

"N-no!" Harry cut in suddenly, almost desperately, a panic gripping him so swiftly – the same he had felt all those years ago – that he had almost shouted it. Memory upon memory of his aunt and uncle filled his thoughts…from near-fatal bathtub encounters with Aunt Petunia, to everyday beatings and lashings from Uncle Vernon, and daily punches and hecklings from Dudley.

"Harry…" Sirius murmured gently, voice wavering as he reached out impulsively for the young Potter. But the boy quite visibly flinched back with a mixture of incredulity and fear, his thoughts running away with him. Emotion shimmered in the eight year old's eyes that easily ignited the same in his Guardians.

"You don't…y-you don't _w-want_ me anymore?" Oh, how he did not want to believe that…oh how that would kill him…

"Of course we want you!" the two men affirmed desperately, in unison, emotion spilling out of their attempted tight grips. And Harry _wanted_ to believe them…wanted to believe them so _terribly_…

"T-then w-why—?"

"It's _them_ that don't want you with _us_. _They_ want you back—"

"A-and you're r-really going t-to…" Harry did not want to finish his sentence, swallowing thickly as tears began to fall down his smooth cheeks. It was all starting to make sense…

Sirius' and Remus' hearts broke at the sight.

It was the lycanthrope who reached for the boy this time, who surprising did not flinch away, but rather allowed himself to be pulled up against the werewolf in an embrace…however tensing himself significantly.

For the first time in the Potter's life he actually felt like Flaming _away_ from the two men… _Go back to the Dursley's? Go_ back_??_ …But he could not bring himself to flame away, either, because he did not want to ever leave them … He felt so horrendously torn… Their emotions told him they _did_ love, _did_ want him, but they also told him that what was going to likely happen was out of their control…something they could not save him from so easily, and it hurt like an old re-opened wound to honestly _know_ it.

"Prongslet…" His Godfather's voice broke, and Harry could feel the pain in it, but instead of looking over at the man, he allowed himself to untense a little in Remus' arms, burying his face in the werewolf's shirt as sobs began to shake his frame.

"P-please don't… P-please d-don't make me go b-back…p-please…" he whimpered, very much begged, shaking his head against Moony's chest, arms wrapping around the wizard tightly, as if his life depended on it.

The two adults looked at each other for some answer to this, for some way to ease the boy, but…how could they? What answer could calm the eight year old's despair at going back? There _was_ nothing.

"I-If…I've d-done s-something w-w-wrong… I'm s-s-sorry! B-but _please_--"

"No, cub, you haven't done _anything_ wrong!" Remus cut in earnestly, shaking his head as he rubbed soothing circles into the child's back. "It's those sad _excuses_ for human beings--!"

"_They_ want to keep you away from us, Prongslet, _they're_ the ones forcing this... But we're going to fight to get you back…I promise you. …They're going to regret having done this to us," Sirius said fervently.

Harry did his best to rein in on himself as he processed this information, gradually managing to turn his sobs into sniffles, and his sniffles into sporadic hiccups. He was going to have to go back because that's what the Dursley's were forcing the two men to do? The Potter heir felt a sense of defeat at the thought, a hopelessness forming in the pit of his stomach. And finally he turned his head to glance at his Godfather with red, puffy eyes. His bottom lip trembled as he opened his mouth to ask just a single question, "Do I…d-do I have to go back all b-by myself?" All alone? …Alone…

Sirius blinked a few times, quickly remembering what he had realized earlier, and he shook his head. "No, kiddo…I'd _never_ leave you alone with those people…ever, I'd run away with you first, if that were the case," the Black replied honestly, and the relief that shined in his Godson's eyes warmed him from head to toe.

Remus, however, looked more than a little confused. "But Dumbledore said—"

"Dumbledore, shmumbledore, Moony…he said_ 'we'_ couldn't go with Harry…but he didn't say anything about _Padfoot_ being unable to go."

Realization dawned on Remus instantly, and a relief filled the werewolf so intense that he nearly felt light headed with it.

"_Padfoot_!" he repeated incredulously, as if needing to hear the thought verbalized to believe it. "Sirius! …You're…you're a genius!"

A faint grin twitched at the corners of the Black's lips, "I try."

On any other occasion his grin might have been a wide, lopsided one, but considering the fact that Harry would still not be 'with them' he did not feel much like grinning at all. Not to mention that this also meant that Remus would be alone for a while until Dumbledore helped in getting this all cleared up through Muggle court, and told them what they needed to do to carry this through to completion.

This last thought apparently echoed through the Black's soon forming frown, because Remus was quick to say, "Don't even start. You're going with him tomorrow, I'll be fine by myself knowing Harry's got you there. …It's not for forever."

The two looked at each other for a few beats, melancholy nipping at their insides. It was clear, though, why Sirius had not voiced his idea to Remus immediately after getting it. After all, the fact that Remus' school friends had become illegal Animagus' was information not even Dumbledore knew of…let alone Arthur Weasley, who had been with them in the corridor.

Harry laid against the Lupin, still wrapped in the man's arm, trying his best to go over all of this in his mind. He _was_ going back to the Dursley's…but not for forever, because Padfoot and Moony wanted him with them and not his aunt and uncle…Padfoot and Moony still loved him. This had not even been their idea…would have _never_ been their idea…. And he was not going alone…oh thank _Merlin_ he would not have to go _alone_… Sirius was going with him! As a dog, sure, but just knowing that his Godfather would be there with him would be an amazing comfort.

After a few beats, Sirius inquired gently, "Are you upset with us, pup? We won't hold it against you if you are…" he trailed off for a moment before swallowing somewhat thickly and said barely above a whisper, "…I'm so sorry…"

Harry, who was still sniffling some, fixed his previously 'far-away' gaze back on his Godfather. "Mm-mmm," he shook his head 'no' before glancing up at Moony, who sighed softly and somewhat reluctantly let him go, allowing the young Potter to move the few inches over to Sirius.

The eight year old allowed the canine Animagus to wrap him up in his arms instead, wrapping his own arms around the older wizard and resting his head right under Sirius' chin. "I'm not mad, Padfoot…m'just…" he paused for a moment, closing his eyes to fight back more memories of his times at the Dursley household, before finally whispering, "…scared…"

"I know, kiddo," Sirius murmured softly, pressing a tender kiss to the top of the Potter's mess of hair, before resting his chin on top of his head.

_Me too…_ the Black thought to himself, glancing over at Remus who had a sad smile on his face. While Sirius had thought of the perfect way to go along with Harry, that did not mean much on safety against the Dursley's other than growling, barking, and threatening nips…which would hopefully work, because were the Dursley's to see the dog transform into Harry's Godfather…well… The twenty-eight year old would definitely be in hot water for 'trespassing', which would not be good for their case in the least, he was sure. And if he bit them? Then he would likely get thrown outside and it would all be for not…

The emerald eyed Potter silently reached out an arm for Remus to scoot the few inches over to them, which after only a moment the werewolf did. Which allowed Harry to move to sit on the lap the mens' side-by-side legs formed, resting himself against the two of his guardians, arms wrapped as far as they could reach – which was not too far – around each of the two wizard's middles. Sirius and Remus, smiling affectionately, in turn wrapped their free outside arms around the eight year old.

There was no reason to say it right now…they loved him with everything they had, and he knew it, and they knew he felt the same for them.

If Harry was only going to get one more night with both of them for what could be a day, a week, or more, then he wanted it to be with them all together…he wanted to be near both of them.

Despite there still being a few things to talk about before tomorrow afternoon, and despite still having to pack some things for the young Potter, the three males relished in each other's silent closeness. And before anyone could have realized it, the hour now quite late, sleep took them all by surprise.

It was picture perfect, really, Harry against the two who had the sofa holding them up, Sirius' head having landing on Remus' shoulder, and Remus' on Sirius' head. It was nice, though, considering this might or might not be the last night of a semi-peaceful sleep they would get for a while…

Tomorrow would be a new day.

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**A/N:** And that's an end to another chapter of 'Prongslet'! At least this end did not make me feel as teary as the last one…I didn't think I could do that to myself, or you, twice in a row. :( …Wading through angst is saddening… Fluff is so much cuter! xD But, eh, it's all necessary to make well rounded stories. –Nods Knowingly.- Anywho, tell me what you all think, and whether or not you're still upset with me for the last chapter. –Faint Grin.- I promise to update again soon.

And now onto this chapter's 'Curiosity Filler'!

"Of those of you who have read J.K. Rowling's 800 word prequel to the Harry Potter series, revolving around James Potter and Sirius Black some three years before Harry's birth: WHAT DID YOU THINK OF IT?!"

Me, _personally_? I was ECSTATIC throughout the whole – short - thing, but I'll give you more details on my feelings in my replies to your review/answers…like my favorite parts and stuff. OMG, though, I'm still trying to get over having read it. xD James and Sirius are my favorite characters _ever_ next to Remus! And this prequel completely enforced that. I sooooooooo want a real hard-backed prequel now!! Ugh… I WANT ONE SO BAAAAADDD…

Meh, enough about me…I've rambled enough as it is. But, if for some reason you have NOT read J.K.R.'s prequel (I must first say: what's _wrong_ with you?!) here is a link to read it! mugglenet . com/ app/ news/ full story/ 1684

Without the spaces, of course. –Grins.- I'd love to know your thoughts! Both on her story, and this chapter of my fic. –Nods.-

Until next time, dear Readers,

-Chloe

-Japanime1


	39. A Much Dreaded Reunion

**Disclaimer:** You want to know what I OWN?! I'll tell you what I OWN…nothing, nada, not a friggin' thing! How unfair is _that_ to my wallet?!

**Chapter Summary:** Harry is finally reunited with the last people he would have ever wanted to be reunited with...

**A/N:** Okay, so maybe the last chapter was not much better in the 'less-sad' department as the one before it… I'm afraid I can't exactly promise much more from this chapter, either, in terms of happy contentedness… But I'm sure you were not expecting such so soon, anyway. –Sighs.- On another, perhaps more smile-inducing, note…we're a chapter away from forty! That's a lot of chapters! xD Well maybe not as long as some of the hundred chapter stories out there, but…all things considered, I'm mighty happy to be reaching that forty point. –Nods.- I would throw a 'pre-chapter-forty' party, and then an actual chapter forty party in _that_ chapter's Author's Notes…but I feel too bad for it thanks to poor Harry… It'd be terrible to throw a party under the circumstances… ANYWAY, enough with my silly ramblings that no one really bothers to read… Onto this chapter! x3

Chapter 39: A Much Dreaded Reunion

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_"It sucks, doesn't it?" Xantos inquired conversationally. _

_"…It's more than that…" Harry replied softly, sadness filling him despite the bright day that graced the clearing in the forest that his second-cousin always brought him to in his dreams when they chatted. _

_"Awe, cheer up, kid!" the older Potter grinned, and Harry had to wonder how he could grin at a time like this… "Ten Galleons say, down the road, you'll be a whole lot happier this happened." _

_"_How_??" Harry asked, incredulous, shaking his head._

_"You'll see…" Xantos chuckled, and the eight year old eyed him oddly. "It'll work out in your favor, I bet heavily on it…though I've got to admit it might be hectic…maybe even a little unpleasant…"_

_"Xan?" _

_"Yeah?"_

_"…You're weird." _

_"You've no idea, little Jamie…you've no idea…" the hazel eyed male smirked. _

_"How do you know all of this stuff, anyway?" _

_"If I told you that, there'd be no fun surprises." _

_Harry pondered over this, green gaze falling to his lap, and sighed another sad sigh…Xantos was weird _and_ he did not understand what going back to the Dursley's felt like at all…_

_"Just think about this, if nothing else…you won't be there long, and you'll never have to see them again after it's all said and done." _

_Harry blinked a few times before glancing back up at the dark golden-brown haired male curiously. "How do you _know_ that for _sure_?" _

_And Xantos' smile faded to a more sober, thoughtful expression. The two fell into silence for a few beats, Harry glancing up at Xantos, and the older male studying the eight year old before lifting a hand to ruffle the younger Potter's mess of hair in an almost tender manner._

_"Trust me," he answered. _

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Remus had been the first of the three to wake; which was pretty normal, considering their usual. Ugh…his neck was stiff… Blinking a few times, and bringing his free arm up, he rubbed the bleariness from his eyes before glancing around the sitting room of the small house he shared with Sirius and Harry. …What in the world was he doing down _here_?

It only took the werewolf a moment, glancing down at the Potter that was half on him, half on Sirius, and at the Black next to him, before the events of the night before flooded into his remembrance…thoughts that swiftly caused a sense of loss and depression to tie knots in his stomach.

_Harry…_ he thought to himself forlornly.

It was with the utmost care and gentleness that the lycanthrope, brought the eight year old over to him completely, moving to gingerly stand with the child in his arms before lying the slumbering boy on the couch. Harry was normally not a very deep sleeper, waking with the most simplest of physical contact – a sign of his abused past that had never really left - , but for some reason the move did not cause him to stir in the least, and Remus could not help but just…watch him affectionately for a few moments.

It was different, sure, his not waking up at being picked up, but who would not need to sleep soundly after a night like last night? And besides…it was nice just getting to look at him for a few minutes; memorize how innocent and angelic-like the child's appearance was, admire how much the eight year old had grown over the past few years under his and Sirius' care and tutelage, take note of how his messy raven hair complimented his lightly tanned complexion, actually notice how his eye lashes gently brushed against the top of his soft cheeks, and…and… So much he had already seen over the years, but had never really taken the extra time to _appreciate_, to _soak up_, to…to…

_Merlin…_ Remus thought, finding his eyes shimmering with tears that were threatening to fall, his throat locking on him, and he had to turn around in order to properly choke back a sob. _…I'm _losing_ him today…_

"Remus…" gently murmured the wavering voice of Sirius from behind him – who had apparently woken up and stood at some point while the Lupin had been heartbreakingly captivated by his young charge – placing an understanding hand on his best friend's shoulder. He knew exactly how his friend felt…knew it too well…

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_"I do…" Harry said after a good few minutes had passed between them. _

_"…M'glad. You know…not many people do anymore…" Xantos sighed, a distant look passing through his hazel eyes. _

_"Your boss?" the younger Potter inquired curiously. "Or do you mean Draco?" _

_Xantos chuckled at this, shaking his head. "The boss? Naw, he trusts me well enough…I guess; not that you can ever truly tell with him. And Draco…well, that annoying little bugger's grown on me, to say the least…he trusts me, too."_

_Harry grinned at this, not feeling much like grinning, but finding his cousin's comments amusing…something to which Xantos smiled. "That's because you're wicked." _

_"Now I wouldn't go _that_ far…" the twenty-eight year old smirked. _

_The clouds in the sky drifted along, soon covering the sun a bit, the light breeze in the clearing dying down as a coldness settled in. _

_"Ah…speaking of the Malfoy, I believe he's woken up…I should probably get going before he tries to probe any harder," the older Potter rolled his eyes, before pushing himself up to his feet. "He's gotten terribly good at it…" he added with a faint frown. _

_"…I wish you didn't have to go," Harry frowned, pushing himself up also, dusting off his pants, the truth of what awaited his waking state settling over him once more like a never passing rain cloud. _

_"No worries…you'll be seeing me again sooner than you think, little Jamie," came Xantos' reply accompanied by a silky smile. _

_Harry blinked confusedly a few times, but Xantos gave no explanation. The dark golden-brown haired wizard merely offered the younger a wave, and turned, walking out of the clearing. _

_Sad emerald green eyes watched him go, before sighing dejectedly, and glancing back up at the sky…waiting for it to start to fade…and fade soon enough, it did._

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Harry slowly awoke to two familiar voices coming from the kitchen. This was comforting, even though their emotions only made him feel more gloom than he had by himself, considering his heart had momentarily threatened to start pounding at the mere _thought_ that he was alone the house…in the sitting room.

_You're being jumpy now…_ he thought to himself bleakly, bringing his hands up to his face to remove his glasses for a moment to better rub at his eyes before replacing them. He had forgotten to take them off before falling asleep…not that that had been his top priority to remember.

Green eyes surveyed his surroundings, taking note that he was now surprisingly on the couch. He felt like getting up and announcing his presence to his Guardians…but he also did not. …He wanted to just…lay here, too. Mostly because he felt like that might prevent what was bound to be the inevitable from happening any quicker than it had to.

_I'm going back…_ he thought sadly. _I'm going back to Aunt Petunia and…and…U-Uncle Vernon… _

He did not want to think about it, tried his best to not think about it, yet here he was…thinking about it. He had not had to worry about the prospect of 'being taken back to the Dursley's' ever since he was five…ever since he had finally decided that Padfoot and Moony were not like them _at all_, and actually wanted him as their child to love and care for… Ever since he had come to accept that his being here was not temporary…but permanent.

In truth, he supposed that thought, and fact, had not changed. What had changed were the circumstances. It was not Padfoot and Moony that wanted to get rid of him, but rather that he was being all but _pried_ from their cold fingers.

_Why did this have to happen? Why do they want me back? They hated me…they still hate me… _And it was at this thought that it really came together for him. _They want me back _'because'_ they hate me…_

His aunt and uncle did not want to see him happy…they wanted him back because he was a…a 'freak' to them, who did not deserve any happiness or love or…

_It's not fair…_ Harry thought to himself bitterly, angry tears springing to his eyes, but he determinedly blinked them away as he glared at the ceiling. _It's not fair! I never…I never did _anything_ to them… I never did anything to make them hate me… It was fine…we weren't even _together_ anymore! I've been with Padfoot and Uncle Moony for…for a long time! Why now? Why do they want me back _now_?? _

It definitely did not make sense, and it was indisputably unfair, but it was how things were for the moment. This knowledge both upset the Potter heir as much as it did scare him.

It hurt…it hurt that his own flesh and blood hated him so much. Aunt Petunia was, after all, his mother's own sister. It hurt that she did not at least feel enough for him to let him live a happy life _away_ from her…away from her _husband_. It hurt that in hurting him, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were also hurting Padfoot and Moony.

Emotionally…_deeply_…perhaps where things resounded and stung most genuinely.

Their family, the one they had all put forth effort to build up together, was being torn asunder as easily as a sheet of parchment…and it hurt. It was painful…painful in a way the young Potter could scarcely describe. It was an emotion made up of so many others that it honestly had no real name other than devastation itself.

_I wish they were dead…_ Harry thought to himself darkly, feeling a gust in the room induced by his barely controlled emotions rattle the teacups along the tea table between the couch and the recliner.

A second after this thought, however…he regretted it, guilt nipping at his insides to add to the rest of his feelings, before swiftly reigning in on the wind, closing his eyes tightly as he felt it die down and stop. He did not wish death on anyone…even people like his aunt and uncle. No one, no matter what, deserved to go through what his own parents had gone through…no one. At least he did not think so.

"Harry?"

The messy raven-haired boy all but sprung into a sitting position, emerald gaze shifting immediately to the kitchen entryway to spot Sirius and Remus – the latter of which had done a considerable job on composing himself once more - re-entering the sitting room, equal looks of concern on their faces.

Had they noticed the wind, or heard the teacups? Most likely both…

"Er…m'sorry…" the eight year old said softly, glancing guiltily at the teacups that had very much nearly fallen off the small table. The two men could just smile faintly.

"…You hungry, kiddo?" Sirius asked, deciding that telling Harry he 'had no reason to be apologizing' was more than self-evident…he had said it a trillion and one times over the years.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Despite not feeling all that hungry, Harry ate breakfast until he was completely full. Mostly because he too easily recalled the days when food had been something hard to come by…to earn… The days when food was something he could only hope for every other day…if he was lucky.

It made him feel better that Padfoot and Uncle Moony were not silent during it all, but rather, Padfoot ate as ravenous as he usually did, and Uncle Moony made dry remarks about it. Sure, it did not make Harry chuckle or giggle like it might have on a normal day – perhaps it was because his Guardians attempts were somewhat strained – but it definitely got Harry to smile softly...appreciatively. …He loved the two of them so, so much…

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"No _magic_?"

He had suspected the likely chance of this rule at the back of his mind, but to be informed up front was definitely an extra bit of salt to the re-opened wound.

"No, cub, because…well, they're Muggles…" Remus explained reluctantly, the three males now up in Harry's bedroom, packing some clothes for the Potter.

Sirius snorted at this, cutting off any chance Remus might have taken to add that Muggles were 'helpless'. Because just because they were helpless against magic, did _not_ make them helpless in general.

"…Right," Harry sighed, moving over to Hedwig's cage to look at the young owl who was eyeing them all suspiciously thanks to the packing. "Erm…I'm going away for a little bit, Hedwig. It won't be too long, I'm sure I'll be back soon… You don't have to worry, or be scared," he informed the owl – perhaps more for himself than for Hedwig - , glancing uncertainly back at his Guardians – who had stopped what they were doing to look at him sadly – whom nodded, before looking back at the snowy creature. "Moony'll make sure to feed you, I promise."

Lifting the cage hatch, the boy stuck his hand in and petted the owl feather's gently…lovingly, earning himself an affectionate nip, before he withdrew his hand, turning jadedly back to Sirius and Remus - the lycanthrope zipping up the small backpack on the desk.

"If for some reason, though, Harry…you think you _have_ to use your powers, like Death Eaters or other Wizards or Witches we don't know show up…you do it, alright?" Sirius said, surprisingly serious, bringing the topic back to the original one.

The Potter's brow furrowed slightly in faint puzzlement, but he nodded after a moment. "Okay…but…you'll be there, right?" This last bit was asked quickly, the controlled fear within the boy jumping to the forefront for a split second.

"Of course! But…I'll have to stay as a dog, just like you can't use magic, unless something like that happens…when we wouldn't have a choice." The look in the blueish-grey eyed man's eyes said he sincerely wished that could be different…that he could turn back into a human and hex Dursley into infinity the millisecond he even 'looked' at Harry the wrong way…but it could not be so. There were regrettably laws and regulations when it came to magic in front of Muggles.

Had Sirius personally known more Muggles like the Dursley's when he had been growing up…perhaps he would have taken up his parents' view of things after all…

Remus glanced unwillingly at the clock on Harry's nightstand, before releasing a breath and saying, "It's about time we start heading out…the last thing we need is for them to call the Muggle Authorities on us for taking longer than we were given…"

A flicker of something passed through the Potter's green eyes before he swallowed thickly and nodded…it was heart-wrenching to honestly see how completely the eight year old had resigned himself. He really was mature for being so young…too mature, and they had the Dursley's to blame for that…it was somehow horrible in it's own way. Harry deserved to be allowed to cry, to be allowed to express how desperately anguished he felt internally …

Regardless of all of that, however…time was up, and it was time to go…

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"What do you _mean_ you're going to be busy for a few days _again_?" Draco demanded sourly. "How will I learn anything _new_ if you're _gone _all the time? Does Mother kn--" the blonde cut his sentence short just as his mother did - in fact - enter, deciding to just resort to a defiant posture and gaze.

Xantos brought a hand up to his right temple to rub at it…he swore he had gotten more headaches than ever in his life ever since moving into Malfoy Manor thanks to the kid in front of him. How spoiled could one child possibly be? Granted he, himself, had likely not helped in that department…what with getting the blonde so used to seeing him daily. Perhaps he should take the eight year old boy's indignance as a compliment. …Hmph.

The two males both sat in high backed armchairs in one of the large manor's numerous drawing rooms. Polished dark wooden panes lined the walls and portraits of platinum blonde haired men and women glanced down their noses at them from their high vantage points. A fire burnt in an ornate fireplace at the far end of the room, the flickering glow of the flames illuminating just enough of the room for the occupants needs.

"I do, indeed, know of Xantos' temporary leaves of absence, Draco," came the aristocratically prim, and proper voice of Narcissa Malfoy. The light blonde haired woman, who was truly beautiful in her own right, moved to stand confidently next to her son's high backed armchair, fixing the young boy with her azure gaze.

"Then you _must_ know that it's an absolutely _terrible_ idea!" Draco pouted.

"Dear…Xantos' life far from centers around you, you know…he is a distinguished man with his own business to attend to from occasion to occasion. He devotes a lot of his time to your studies, so he deserves some time of his own to use as he so wishes," Narcissa informed her son smoothly, however sympathetically. "Besides…it's only for a short time. He'll be back to helping you with arithmetic and the like in no time, I am sure."

Draco's mouth dropped a fraction – arithmetic? who had ever said he was complaining because he would not be learning basic primary school _rubbish_? – before he swiftly closed it, glancing back at Xantos who was giving him a smug smirk.

"Fine," the eight year old sneered. Of course his mother was unaware that what Draco wanted to learn…were new things about himself and his powers…because as far she knew, he had nothing extra than what she herself had had when a child. Random moments of accidental magic, and that was that.

"Lovely to have this cleared up…wouldn't want you staying mad at me," Xantos grinned, pushing himself to stand. "It'd 'bout break my heart."

Draco glared at this, and Narcissa shifted her gaze lazily over to the Potter. Hazel eyes met her azure confidently before the corners of his lips twitched upwards in a ghost of a smile.

The man was certainly…different, and odd at times, but she had to admit he had an air about him that demanded a sense of respect. She might have dislike him a good deal back in Hogwarts – when he had truly been his namesake…a blood traitorous _'Potter'_ – but he had definitely changed a great deal when she had seen him again years down the road following his transfer out of Hogwarts…he certainly could not have been labeled a _'Potter'_ after that.

Or rather, perhaps he still was, but instead, he was the kind of Potter that specific pureblooded family needed… The kind that could bring their family name out of the 'Blood Traitors' gutter, and into the Pureblood Supremacist circles once more, where it's blood belonged.

"Will you be leaving now?" the woman inquired dignifiedly. She did not know what his business away from the manor was, for he had not elaborated very much on it, but she knew he had said his presence in the manor would be rather intermittent for the next couple of days.

"Soon."

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Privet Drive was located in Little Whinging, Surrey, a good bit south-southwest of London…and it had honestly not changed at all from the last time Harry, Sirius, and Remus had been here. It was still a perfectly ordinary street filled with perfectly ordinary houses, where perfectly ordinary Muggles choose to settle down and live their preferably perfectly ordinary lives.

Considering many other streets with similar square shaped houses surrounded Privet Drive, such as Magnolia Crescent, Wisteria Walk, and Magnolia Road, it was somewhat surprising how quiet and still the area was. No sounds of children having fun, no sounds of neighbors chatting on their green clean-cut lawns, no…nothing; just neatly parked cars in spotless driveways, window shades drawn against the afternoon light, and a delicate breeze that lightly ruffled the hairs of the three – the youngest with a small backpack on his back - making their way down the street. The afternoon silence was almost eerie…foreboding, really.

_Five years ago had not been the last time we would see this place after all…_ Sirius thought to himself grimly, all four padded feet moving with long-time-practiced effortlessness with each step he took, the large jet-black furred canine glancing from side to side to as he walked next to his Godson.

For all Harry's efforts to control his mounting dread and fear, he found himself doing a worse and worse job as the three of them continued down Privet Drive's sidewalk toward Number Four. Padfoot – or 'Snuffles', as Remus had instructed him to call the dog soon after Sirius had transformed…something to which the canine Animagus had rather grudgingly conceded to – walked along side him, reaching about the height of the young Potter's chest with how large he was, fur brushing up against him, which while gave him a sense of comfort did not ease him completely, either. Neither did holding onto Moony's hand tightly as they walked…neither did petting along Snuffles' back over and over again…

Actually, he had come to decide that the speeding up of his heart, and his somewhat shaky breaths, as the ominous house came into view, were all things he was not going to be able to prevent or control…no matter how close Padfoot and Moony were to him. They were natural responses his body was enforcing on it's own, an no amount of potential comfort could possibly change the single solitary fact that he was on Privet Drive…that he was moments from seeing the family that had haunted his thoughts and nights for years.

If it were not for the fact of just, well…_knowing better_, the three would have thought Number Four Privet Drive was too quite to have anybody be home.

It was while the three were stepping along the walkway leading up to the house Harry had inhabited – or had rather been enslaved to – from _almost_ the beginning of his life till he was nearly four, that the young Potter stopped suddenly and yanked slightly on Remus' hand. The Lupin was quick to stop and look down to his right at the boy whose eyes were so full of supplication and trepidation that he almost decided to call this whole thing off and go for Sirius' initial idea of running away with the boy.

…But that was reckless…and he sadly knew it.

"Yes, cub?"

Harry seemed to struggle with his words, before he swallowed thickly, and murmured, "We really…_I_ really…this is _real_…"

Amber eyes softened considerably, and 'Snuffles' moved to nuzzle the boy's cheek gently. Emerald green eyes flickered to the dog that had his Godfather's same bluish-grey eyes and honestly wished it had been him with the power of telepathy and not Draco…at least then he could communicate with him. "I don't want to stay here…" he said, barely above a whisper, pleading gaze soon returning to his Uncle Moony, who's heart had broken for the hundredth time – it felt like – upon hearing the boy all but wish desperately that this was some horrible dream.

"…Oh, Harry," Remus released a soft breath as he turned to the child more, hunkering down some in order to better pull him into a tight hug that Harry reflexively, almost convulsively, returned…as if having yearned for it, but having been uncertain on how to voice it. This of course shook the Lupin deeply because they had _gotten passed this_…passed the stage of 'I need the comfort, but I don't dare ask'…they had passed it, and yet it had so swiftly resurfaced since last night…they had regressed so quickly to that time of the past.

And it was all thanks to these _horrendous_ Muggles! There was no way he was going to let this carry on for long; Remus was going straight to Dumbledore following this little reunion, and they were going to start whatever process was necessary _today_, to get things in motion to get Harry back legally.

The eight year old buried his face into the crook of the lycanthrope's neck, his whole body beginning to tremble, but with no tears falling…none of those. This only broke Remus' heart more, restrained tears stinging his eyes. "This is the last time, cub…the _last_ time you'll _ever_ have to be here… I swear it on my _life_ to you," Remus whispered earnestly into the boy's ear. "…Okay? …Do you believe me?"

For a long moment Harry did not respond, he merely held onto the werewolf tightly, desperately…and Remus let him. After what could have been forever, or only a few minutes, the messy raven-haired Potter could be felt nodding slowly into his Guardian's neck. "…Y-yes," came the shaky reply.

"…I love you, Harry…" Remus had to swallow somewhat thickly himself, now.

"I-I love you, too, Moony!" And this was said in a chocked sob as the Lupin finally felt the child's tears that had most certainly needed to come – built up from all morning – wet his shoulder, and he held the boy tighter, protectively.

Sirius, in his Animagus form, made a sound akin to a soft whine, and moist amber eyes shifted to him, staring up at the pair.

It was here that the sound of the front door being yanked open could be heard, and a soft growl escaped Padfoot, eyes snapping to the door to be greeted by the sight of one Mister Vernon Dursley.

"About bloody 'effing _time_! I had been _about_—"

"_Shove it_, Dursley, for the first time in your bloody _life_," Remus interrupted coldly just as Harry's hold on him had doubled, his sobs coming to a fearfully controlled stop.

Surprisingly, beady eyes narrowing – making sure no…no _wand_ was being drawn - , Vernon did in fact close his mouth.

With the utmost tenderness Remus detached himself from an extremely reluctant Harry, pausing momentarily to gaze into his Charge's red eyes and tearstained cheeks, bringing his hands up to wipe the tears away gently. "Not long," he mouthed, shaking his head almost unnoticeably, and Harry nodded just as faintly…so trustingly.

And with that Remus stood back up properly, stretching to his full height, which while maybe not taller than Sirius human form, definitely allowed him a few good inches over Mr. Dursley, taking Harry's hand, and turning to face the man, eyes fixing on him darkly.

"You should be _grateful_ we're not the kind of wizard's that kill Muggles, Dursley, because if we _were_…" he let this trail off for a moment, enjoying the retracting pupils of the whale-man, as the three approached the front door a few more steps. "…Our being a little late would be the least of the things to upset you."

"W-w-well, I never!" Mr. Dursley, spluttered, aiming for affronted-ness, but coming off as just frightened. "Y-you're giving us the boy back, are you not?"

"…For the time being," Remus replied with reservation…no need to tell the man they were taking this to Muggle court immediately.

"T-then hand him over already, and be done," Mr. Dursley ordered with only a fraction of the authority he might have used were he not so uncomfortable in the presence of the werewolf, his eyes flickering down to the eight year old who winced and lowered his green gaze to the ground swiftly. A faint look of satisfaction passed the man's face, and Padfoot growled softly, earning the attention to be drawn to him.

"And what's with this mongrel?" he demanded.

"_This_…is Snuffles," Remus answered casually. "He belongs to Harry, so he's certainly going to have to go along with him."

"W-WHAT?! We can't have a…a _monster_ of a dog in this house!"

The Lupin felt Harry's grip on his hand double, and noticed the canine bare it's teeth somewhat out of the corner of his eyes, and then offered the Dursley a disarmingly fake smile. "Well, if you insist on not keeping him, as well…" he sighed resignedly, using his free hand to go for the wand in his back pocket.

"N-No! W-What are you d-doing??"

"Oh, I just thought that I would—"

"P-Put that vile t-thing _away_!" Dursley hissed, eyes darting around frantically for any sign of the neighbors…there were none out and about. "Petunia will have a heart attack!"

"But you're refusing to keep Harry's d—" Remus began reasonably, only to be interrupted.

"F-fine! _Fine_! The freak dog can stay! Just _put that away_!"

The taller male eyed the fat one contemplatively, whose eyes were fixed on the wand in his hand now, before finally re-pocketing the object. "Good; glad we didn't have to resort to anything…extreme."

Vernon glared as best as he could, considering his wariness, before swiftly reaching a hand forward and grabbing roughly onto Harry's free arm, yanking him out of Remus' hold.

The young Potter tensed something terrible, green eyes snapping shut with the faintest of gasps, and Remus' amber eyes flashed dangerously just as Padfoot barked twice in fierce protest.

"_Shush_, you!" Vernon ordered the growling dog, before turning his gaze back to a nearly fuming Remus. "And now we shall take our leave of yo—"

His sentence was cut off in a shaky gulp as the Lupin took a threatening step towards the man. "I'll be back sooner than you think, _Dursley_, and if I hear one word from Harry casting your care of him in a negative light when I do…or if I find the _smallest_ of marks _anywhere_ on him…you'll regret far more than _ever_ having sent that damn letter."

Mr. Dursley opened and closed his mouth stupidly, not knowing any right way to respond to that…or even how to process it, really.

But he did not have to, because Remus was done speaking to him. Instead, the Lupin hunkered back down to Harry's level, placing a hand on the Potter's tensed shoulder. "Harry…" And he was grateful when the child did actually open his eyes…even though he could see the depth of his Charge's fear and dread resonating within. "I'll be back soon, cub. Snuffles is with you…and I _will_ be back for you."

Harry's lips trembled open somewhat, like he wanted to say something…but did not have the nerve to form the words, and so he merely nodded once.

Remus leaned forward and planted a loving, lingering kiss on the boy's forehead. And it was with the most force and willpower and…true Gryffindor courage of heart…that Remus made himself straighten back up, nod once to Padfoot, and turn…and walk away. …It had to have been the hardest thing…he had _ever_ had to do in all his years of life.

Harry watched him go with a wrench in his heart, blinking away tears as the familiar sound of 'pop' echoed through the afternoon air. He did not get long, however, before he was shoved quickly into the house, his Uncle Vernon slamming the door speedily in Padfoot's face. The eight year old had barely enough time to gape at this, Padfoot undoubtedly doing the same on the other side of the door, before his uncle rounded on him, red in the face.

"_BOY!!_" he shouted, infuriated.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

**A/N:** Another Cliffie…I'm really getting back into the cycle of things, aren't I? x3 Gotta either love it, or hate it, depending… -Sad smile.- This one, personally, made me want to throw my laptop…but I controlled myself. Angst! It _kills_ me inside! At least we all know I update weekly, right? –Nods.- Which means you won't have to wait _terribly_ long…just a mere seven days (unless you – or _I_ - die in some untimely manner, perhaps by that girl Samara from the Ring). We can all hope that does not happen, though! xD Anywho, tell me your thoughts on this chapter; you know I always love hearing and answering to them. –Smiles softly.-

Oh, by the way, I also just wanted say that…I _really_ love you guys! –Knows she is a sap.- Thanks to all of you liking this story so much, Prongslet is on 160 c2s, 651 favorites lists, 720 alerts lists, and has had over 361,968 hits. M'not sure whether _you_ think all of that is a lot, but to _me_ it is, and it really means a lot to me, so thank you all SO much! –Hugs and love for everyone.- It really boosts moral on my end, I assure you, not to mention all of your supportive reviews, so…yeah…I love you guys. xD

Well, enough with that…too much needless information…

Onto this chapter's 'Curiosity Filler'!

"Out of ALL the 'in the hundreds' something chapters that make up our much adored books of Harry Potter, which _chapter/specific scene_ was your all-time favorite one?"

And, of course, as I'm sure you know by now, I shall reply with my answer once you tell me yours! :-)

Until next time, dear Readers,

-Chloe

-Japanime1


	40. Crimes Never Go Unpunished

**Disclaimer:** You want to know what I OWN?! I'll tell you what I OWN…nothing, nada, not a friggin' thing! How unfair is _that_ to my wallet?!

**Chapter Summary:** Harry sadly relives a day of old, Remus encounters what could be a blessing in disguise or an obstacle, and Xantos shares some of his inner thoughts...

**FYI/Important/6-28-08: **The alerts system for the site is down, so I'm not able to get alerts for reviews/pms/forum updates...anything. And if you have an account here I'm sure you've realized this as well. (This doesn't mean 'don't review', on the contrary, please _continue _to review! xD ) SOOOO...I /am/ replying to all reviews, but I highly doubt any of you have gotten them...but don't think I'm ignoring you, because I'm not! No worries if this is new to you - this happens every now and then, trust me, I've been here a while - the site'll be fixed soon enough (I hope) and we'll all get a bulk-load of alerts in our e-mails with everything we missed as always. xD So you will definitely get my review responses sooner or later, I promise!! Sorry for the extra Authors Note here, but I just thought I should really let you all know. LOTSA LOVE! --Chloe

**EDIT/6-29-08: **Alerts have officially been fixed by our lovely staff here (until the next time this happens), so w00t!! :-D

**A/N:** And we've reached the chapter forty marker!! But no parties, remember that… We spoke of this. x3 Now then, it has been made known to me that the _last_ chapter was even sadder than the two before it…I can assure you that was not my intention, it was just…how it turned out. :-/ Considering the situation I could not have hoped for anything light-hearted… Anyway, just so's you know, the angst will not be for much longer, I assure you. I'm a lover of fluff, myself, and this angst stuff is starting to itch at my insides. I feel so terrible for having to write it! Curse having to be the author of a well-rounded story! Curse, curse, curse, curse… Why can't it be fluff _period_? But, alas, I find myself incapable of doing such, so…as it is…here is your awaited chapter forty…

Chapter 40: Crimes Never Go Unpunished

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Draco Malfoy sat forlornly in his bedroom. This was stupid; Xantos had never taken up so many 'busy' days before. His job was to spend time with Draco and help teach him stuff, _not_ to go out and do whatever the bloody hell he so pleased. Was that not what the Dark Lord had assigned him? To stay at Malfoy Manor and do what Draco's father would be doing were he not in Azkaban?

_Well…not exactly…_ the young blonde thought to himself somewhat bitterly.

Even when it came to regular school stuff, Draco had found himself learning more from Xantos than he ever had from his father. Lucius Malfoy had always 'talked' about doing this or that with his son, but always ended up having to cancel because of something coming up. …Something clearly more important than his own child. Narcissa Malfoy was pretty much the same. Draco's life with his parents has always tended to be 'yeah, we'll do this together'--and then--'opps sorry, I forgot, maybe next time, dear'.

To say the least, Draco had become very accustomed to disappointment, let down, and loneliness over the years. Accustomed to self-reliance. By the time the blonde had reached the age of six, skepticism in regards to the word of anyone but himself had become a core part of his personality. …More to protect himself from feelings of hurt than anything else. If trusting people brought nothing but depressed feelings, then why trust?

That had definitely been the Malfoy heir's thought process before Harry had entered his life. The trust he had in Harry was more involuntary than anything. It had been an internal thing…an automatic thing. A click. Harry was someone he knew he could count on, without even having to be assured; knew the messy raven haired boy would be there for him if he ever needed it…- he even took Draco's sneers and teasings in stride, never missing a beat in comebacks - …he was his other half to the coin in more ways than one. They were so…different, so completely opposite, and yet so similar at the same time. It was odd… But despite all that, their friendship had to be kept a secret. Because Harry was a Potter, and Draco was a Malfoy, and those two families did _not_ mix.

And then of course there was Xantos… The hazel eyed man had done a great deal over the years in getting Draco to gradual trust more. Sure, Xantos could be hard – sometimes harsh – but unlike every other adult in the blonde's life…Xantos was _there_. He was there, constantly, for Draco to talk to or just hang out with. Not to mention he had been keeping the silver-grey eyed child's deepest secret for going on two straight years now.

Draco was not one to ever show it, but he was actually extremely appreciative for all the things Xantos had done for him. In truth, he really liked the guy…trusted him. But it was just easier to make things difficult, and act like he did not. He supposed this was why it bothered him so much that Xantos would not be around for another day or so. He had gotten so used to seeing the dark golden-brown haired wizard whenever he so pleased, that the prospect of not having that luxury – even briefly - soured the aristocratic child's mood substantially.

The blonde sat at his desk in his room, twiddling his pure silver snake figurine around in his hands, staring gloomily into it's genuine emerald eyes, before releasing a heavy sigh.

"It's dumb," he muttered as he set the figurine back down on his desk, sliding off his chair.

It was here that the Malfoy heir felt a phantom like pain that came and passed through his shoulder before he even had time to recognize it as an actual faint pain. Draco blinked bemusedly a few times at this, bringing a hand up to touch his now painless shoulder experimentally…

_Okay…that was weird…_ he thought as he decided that it must have just been nothing…maybe he had been sitting oddly or something. However as he approach the door to his room he found his thoughts turning to Harry with almost a sense of dread…almost. …Odder still, seeing as he did not have a reason to be thinking about him right now…

Pulling open his door, a loud crack split the air to reveal a tennis ball-size eyed creature, a bit shorter than Draco, dressed in an old pillowcase, with ripped holes for the arms and legs.

With a yelp the blonde jumped back, surprise written in his expression before he glared, "_Dobby_! What I did I _tell_ you about _doing_ that??"

"Oh, I is _sorry_, young master, I is sorry, sir," the house elf squeaked apologetically, reaching for the door to promptly bang his head against it as punishment.

"Wait, stop, that'll just waste time," Draco sneered, rolling his eyes, stepping in between the door and the creature. "Just tell me what you wanted."

"M-Master Xantos told Dobby to tell the young master that he had a question before he left for the afternoon," came the house elf's prompt reply, large eyes trailing back to the tempting door.

"Oh…fine…" the platinum blonde sighed, moving around Dobby and into the hall. "If you're _going_ to bang yourself in the head, though, just make sure you're done by the time I get back…it's annoying."

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

_-Concurrently.-_

Merlin, he _felt_ it…_all_ of it. All the hate, all the dislike, all the loathing, all the disgust…and all of it was aimed at _him_, every last _ounce_. His heart was pounding rapidly in his chest – he was almost sure the next town _over_ could hear it, as he stumbled back a few steps from his uncle, every limb trembling, fear gripping at his insides like an icy claw.

"This is all _your_ fault you good-for-nothing little FREAK!" the whale of a man roared, stomping the few steps towards the now petrified eight year old, grabbing him by the upper arms _bruisingly_ hard, shaking him roughly a good few times before harshly removing the child's backpack and tossing to the side like filth.

Harry withheld a gasp at the sudden, rough, contact; wide, fearful emerald eyes staring up at the male, breathing rapid. "I-I—"

"If it wasn't for _you_ none of us would be having these problems! We'd all have been better off! I should have beaten the _freakishness_ out of you years ago!" No sooner had he shouted this than did he slam the young Potter sidelong into the closest wall.

Pain shot like double edged knives through the messy haired child's shoulder, eyes snapping shut, a soft whimper escaping his lips – that he knew he should have held in, but the skill of doing such had apparently waned somewhat over the years – his other hand coming over to hold himself up against the wall with a wince.

"I won't be so careless about ridding you of it this time around, _boy_," Vernon fumed bringing down a hammer-like strike to the Potter's other shoulder with his hand, successfully knocking the child to the floor with an immensely satisfying thud. "_What_ do they have you set up to do at that court hearing, freak?"

Harry's mind whirled in confusion, shoulders throbbing something terrible. Pain was continuously shooting through them each time he tried to push himself up, shouting their unified protests at the action. He found himself with no earthly idea of what his Uncle Vernon was talking about…which was never good, because without an answer he did not have much hope this would end soon.

…The young Potter could honestly say it seemed like forever since he had been this terrified, this scared…his arms felt like jelly, giving out under the pain with every continuous attempt to push himself up that he made.

"I _asked_ you something!" Dursley roared, grabbing a fistful of the Potter's hair on top of his head and harshly yanking the boy to his feet. "Or did the years wash you of what _little_ manners I had beaten into you?"

"N-n-no!" Harry cried with a whimper, flinching as the man tightened his hold on his hair, pain-filled tears swimming in his eyes.

"Then SPEAK!"

"I-I-I d-d-don't k-know what y-your t-t-talking a-abo—" The stuttering eight year old was shut up with a hard slap to the side of his face before his hair was promptly released and his legs gave out beneath him, the boy falling to his knees.

"Liar! You've become a filthy little _liar_! Well, I'll show you what'll happen if you _do_ speak out against us!"

Harry bit his bottom lip to refrain from making another sound, tasting the blood that had been drawn from the last lip-splitting hit, as Uncle Vernon grabbed his smelting stick from next to the door and brought it down in one swift motion onto the Potter heir's back. Five more whacks followed in quick succession, each one harder than the last, all the while Harry was holding in his screams - knowing better than to release them, his head whirling from the pain.

He desperately wanted Moony to come back, he wanted Padfoot…_Padfoot_…

Bangs, like a full-body pounds, were sounding from behind the door to outside the house, but these were completely ignored by Harry's uncle.

"Tough boy now, hmm?" Vernon sneered at the lack of sounds coming from the child, pulling the smelting stick away. "Why don't I get the belt then, eh?"

No sooner had these words left his lips than did the sound of breaking glass erupt from the sitting room window. Both Harry and Vernon's heads snapped in that direction to find the monstrous sized dog landing effortlessly on the now glass covered carpeted floor. The creature not only looked panicked, but more than a little furious. The wave of this fury washed over the aching, light headed, emerald eyed eight year old, and a briefly flickering hope passed through his tear shinning orbs.

It was here that Petunia Dursley's screams pierced the air, having just stepped out of the kitchen, an eight year old Dudley hiding behind her. "VERNON! Look what it's _done_! Our _window_! Get it OUT!"

'Snuffles' growled dangerously loud at this, teeth barring wide as it's gaze flickered briefly to his Godson on the floor and then to the terrified looking Vernon Dursley in front of him.

"N-now, dear, d-don't talk s-so loudly," he stammered, eyeing the canine uneasily. The massive dog could tear them all to shreds, he could easily see this, there was no reason to rile it anymore than it currently appeared to be. "G-g-good doggie…"

Sirius wanted to _kill_ these people. Wanted to _kill_ Vernon Dursley…ever fiber of his being radiated with this desire, more so when he had gotten a look at his Godson…at what the larger man had done to Harry in such a brief amount of time. When the door had slammed shut in the Black's face it had taken the male a good few beats – too long, he noted now – to realize what had happened, to full realize the Muggle's deplorable audacity. When it had finally hit the canine Animagus – and it had hit him hard – the panic to find a way into the house swiftly took over. And find his way in he most certainly had finally done.

While maintaining his growl, the four-legged dog stalked closer.

"Y-you want the b-boy?" Vernon deduced hopefully, easily pulling the battered child to his feet. Harry winced at this action, head spinning, his arm all but screaming in protest; all to which Padfoot barked loudly, before he suddenly lunged forward at the whale-man - as if to bite him.

For being immensely large, the Muggle was able to dodge the attempted bite with surprising panicked speed, stumbling a bit in his rush to stand protectively in front of his family. Petunia gripped his beefy arm frighteningly, Dudley doing the same to her skinny leg. "S-stay there! B-boy, c-call off y-your b-beast!"

Harry barely heard this order, tottering on his feet...like the wounded warrior who did not fall until finally reaching the doorstep of the safe house. Padfoot was inside with him…Padfoot was here, and he was not going to let Uncle Vernon touch him again - the young Potter knew this for a fact.

The dog, apparently, did not seem to want to continue to pursue the family, anyway. Harry was, after all, if known to no one else save for himself, his top priority. The canine almost concernedly rubbed gently against the Potter heir's chest, and the boy very nearly slumped against him.

"Padfoot…" an emotionally and physically drained Harry murmured, barely audible but loud enough for a dog's sense of hearing to naturally pick up, grabbing gently fistfuls of the canine's coat, burying his face into the soft fur of the dog's side, tears beginnings to stream. He wanted to express in words how he was feeling, how much it hurt, how much he was relieved to see his Godfather, but before he could, his whirling head had spun him straight into the darkness of unconsciousness.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

_-Late that night.-_

"Wait…'no record'?" Alexis asked, shaking her head incredulously.

"Yes," Remus all but groaned in frustration. "Dumbledore's looking into it, but when I went there _were_ no records of him. I'm pretty sure they all were starting to think I was mental… But…according to them, in Muggle records Harry James Potter never existed. He has been completely erased. There's only Wizarding birth records of him now."

"But who would _do_ that? And…and _why_?"

"To make it impossible to start a case against the Dursley's…" the Lupin muttered darkly, finally sitting back down on his long-time friend's sofa. It was obvious this was the work of a wizard or witch, considering there was no other way to oblivate so many people and erase so many records…but the options of who that person could be was endless. Remus was already close to certain that it had to be a Death Eater…thank Merlin Dumbledore had put the charms on the Dursley's house that prevented Harry from being taken from there against his will…

"But doesn't that mean…you could take him back now? If Harry doesn't exist in the Muggle world then…then the Dursley's can't bring a charge against you, either…"

"That's what I thought, too, but… Dumbledore says we have to be sure, first, before we do anything hasty. You know…Dumbledore has all my respect and gratitude in the world for everything his done for me since I was young, but… If he doesn't give me a good reason not to, I'm going back for Harry _tomorrow_. I can't take it…"

Alexis sighed softly. Her heart went out to the three boys…they did not deserve to have to go through this. Least of all Harry…Harry was clearly the biggest victim. But look how it was also affecting Remus…

As he turned his gaze to stare out the window at the night sky and the three quarter moon, she could see the pain in his amber eyes…she could see how much he likely just wanted to cry, and it really did break her heart. The Marauders were not meant to have ever been sad…they were meant to live long and happy and joyful lives near each other…true Best Friends Forever. The kind of family that was better than the one blood could provide. But look at how fate had so cursed them.

Pain and suffering and death had plagued them and their loved ones even _before_ their years at Hogwarts had finally finished.

And if all of this with losing Harry and, equally, Sirius, had affected Remus so deeply, then Merlin only knew how it was still affecting Sirius, himself. The Black had had to reluctantly leave the bulk of the weight of setting things straight on the Lupin's shoulders, so as to not leave Harry alone with his horrible family. …Though Alexis' gut told her that somehow that might go wrong regardless… Remus undoubtedly had to feel the same.

The Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, of course, was one of the few to know of Sirius' Animagus ability, and Remus had confided in her about where the Black was at the moment.The clear blue-eyed witch's fingers curled around her cup of tea, staring down at its contents before ruefully placing it down on the side table next to her chair.

"It's only been a little over half a day…and I already feel like it's been forever…" She heard Remus whisper, likely more to himself than to her. "I _left_ him there. I _left_ him with that _monster_ of a man… He was holding onto me for dear life and I _left_ him…"

Alexis' gaze softened considerably as she silently watched the man for a good few minutes, before she finally pushed herself to her feet. "Remus…"

It was in an almost surprised manner that the lycanthrope looked back at her, as if having completely forgotten of her presence, so previously lost in his self-loathing thoughts. "Oh, I'm sorry, Alexis, I should probably—"

"Do you _really_ want to go back to your house tonight?" she inquired gently, and the emotion that built up in his eyes at the thought of returning to the solitude and silence of Marauders Abode told her all she needed to know. "Stay here…you're welcome to sleep out here in the sitting room. It might not look like much, but the sofa is really comfortable."

Remus looked at her with a touching mixture of relief and hesitation. "I would hate to impose on you, I rea—"

"Honestly, Remus…you should know better than to think that. You would never be imposing…you're a brother to me. I…I know how hard it would be if you went back home. …This is the least I can do for you. "

The Lupin smiled a faint, grateful smile. "…Thanks, Alex."

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Now Sirius Black was no Healer – Merlin forbid! – but he most certainly knew the basics when it came to healing scraps, small cuts, and the like. …Remus had made him study it for the times when helping Harry master his powers resulted in some burn or other… And while he had whined and complained about it at the time, he now found himself forever appreciative of it. Episkey was a very handy little spell, after all. Turning back into a human had not been a part of the initial plan, but seeing as how neither had 'letting Harry get hurt'…well…plans changed. He was not just going to leave his Godson to his own devices – he would _never_ do that to the boy. He was no idiot, either, however, and did no such change in front of the Dursley's.

No, hours before now, he had first gotten the Potter onto his back as a dog. The Dursley's – fearful little pricks who honestly deserved to be on the receiving end of a million Cruciatus Curses to just know what it _feels_ like – had only made _one_ attempt to try and get 'Snuffles' to carry the boy into his 'designated cupboard'… And that one attempt had _almost_ resulted in Vernon Dursley losing his hand. …Almost. At least the Dursley's had had enough sense to not try anything with him after that…because he honestly doubted he would have been able to control himself… Sirius could definitely say the that the last time he had ever felt as much rage was when James and Lily had died and he had gone to hunt Pettigrew for being the cause.

And so the Black had decided to find a suitable place on the second floor to aid his Charge. It had apparently been to Dudley's dismay – he had heard the whale-in-the-making child whine – that he had chosen the boy's second bedroom.

When he had finally gotten the eight year old up there – forever reminding himself to stay calm - , inside the room, and he had nosed the door closed, becoming a human again was exactly what he had done. He had then scooped Harry up into his arms and laid him gently on the unkempt spare bed, before easily casting a locking charm on the door. And while he checked the boy, studying what would need tending to, he had berated himself for not having gotten inside the house faster, for not having prevented what had happened from happening. For very nearly...failing Harry completely.

The Black had felt like his stomach had become a multitude of knots when his emotions started to calm, and the guilt settled in for the long haul. A good while later Harry's split lip was no longer split, and the slightly fractured shoulder blades were as restored to normal as Sirius could manage. No doubt they would still be extremely sore, but it would do until Remus returned…the lycanthrope had become a whole lot more versed in all of this than Sirius, himself. As for the forming dark bruises on the side of the Potter's face, arms, and back…those were still regrettably there.

"Harry…" Sirius murmured softly a good few hours later, sitting on the side of the bed and running a hand gently through the young boy's mess of hair. He knew he could not stay human for long…if the Dursley's were heard coming upstairs he would quickly have to undo the door's lock – dog's could not lock doors, after all – and transform back. But _Merlin_ would those Muggles not be getting even _five feet_ near the Potter. Sirius would see to that.

But even that did not sooth his stomach's churning guilt. This was not supposed to have happened…in truth, none of this was. The way his Godson's emerald green eyes had looked at him…like one would look at an oasis after scorching days in the desert…that look should have never had to have passed through the innocent eight year old's eyes. He should have never had to feel _that_ alone…_that_ terrified. Harry should not have had to come here in the bloody _first place_, the Dursley's should have never realized they could enforce this, and Sirius…Sirius should have never let himself get shut outside the house.

He doubted he would ever be able to forgive himself for it.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there Prongslet…" he whispered, his voice bordering on shaky. "I'm sorry this happened… They _won't_ touch you again…I'd kill them first."

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"_Really_, now?" Xantos chuckled amusedly a few hours later as he listened to the recounting of the Dursley's woe begotten tale, hazel gaze studying the broken sitting room window. "Not the smartest lot, are you?"

Vernon began to splutter at this, but as the Death Eater drew his wand, he quickly shut up. Perhaps getting upset with the 'abnormal and potentially dangerous' man would not be the wisest of decisions…nope, not wise at all.

"So…you _did_ hurt Harry?" he inquired, voice a little quieter as he continued to gaze seemingly interested at the shards of glass.

"Not nearly as much as he deserved!" the Muggle huffed darkly, glancing back towards the staircase that led up to the second floor of Number Four Privet Drive.

"I see…" The humor in the wizard's voice had left. Not that he had doubted Draco's recount of the disturbing thoughts and memories the young Malfoy had looked into during the times he had spent with Harry. Draco, a mere child, who had never even _seen_ physical abuse could never explain such in detail unless it were true – and he likely had not lied about what he had felt earlier in the afternoon, either.

Yes, Xantos had unquestionably gotten his proof - his justification. And was certainly learning a good deal about an Elemental's connection to its counterpart…even with such an extreme distance between them. Their capability for magical growth was _astounding_… A successful little experiment, indeed.

"I take it he didn't have a clue about any Hearing…" Xantos idly commented more than asked, waving his wand lazy at the pile of glass, and casting a silent Reparo. It was likely thanks to the outside curtains being closed that Vernon Dursley did not panic about this action being seen

"His petty fabrications and deceitfulness, of course!"

"Certainly," Xantos muttered, glaring briefly at the sheet of repaired glass, before pocketing his wand, and turning back to Vernon, fixing a disarming smile on his lips. "Where did you say he and the mutt were now?"

"The little freak is upstairs…in Dudley's second bedroom… The mongrel carried the boy on his back up there… Nearly bit off my _hand_ when I tried to coax him into the cupboard with the little ingrate."

Vernon missed the brief flash that passed through the adult Potter's hazel eyes – he was perhaps better off having not seen it - , thanks to glancing back up the staircase where Petunia was likely already snoozing with Dudley in their king sized bed.

"Seems like Harry has a very intelligent dog …"

"Or a barking mad one that thinks itself the brat's crazed mother… But…" the fat man seemed anxious now. "…Xantos…y-you did say we wouldn't have to worry about a-all this being brought before our court system i-if we got the boy back, d-didn't you? T-that you'd take care of it?"

A silky smirk tugged at the wizard's lips as he waved a dismissive hand. "That's the last thing you'd _ever_ have to worry about, Dursley. I told you that you wouldn't have to step foot into a Hearing…and you won't. I'm a man of my word. I have very much blocked that road, as Lupin has maybe already realized..."

"Ah…y-yes, good."

"You worry too much," Xantos chuckled mirthlessly, resting a hand on the man's beefy shoulder, fleetingly remembering once more what Draco had told him – the blonde had felt faint echo pains that he could not explain…what Xantos had known to be phantom pains of what Harry himself had been enduring…this experiment had proved the possibility to the older Potter that losing one Elemental to death could very well mean the loss of the second.

The two young boys' connection had grown a good deal since its initiation back when the boys teamed together in Malfoy Manor…since their summers and holidays spent together. Physical harm now caused echo pains in the other, and Merlin only knew how much more magically induced pain might be felt at this point in time. And then of course there was the current distance between the two boys, as well, to take into account. Yes, this had all been very, very informative.

And in truth, all things considered, he could technically end this whole charade now. Just do what he had wanted to go out and do that day, weeks previously, when he and Draco had talked about these Muggles that were Harry's blood relatives on Evans' side. And if he were to be honest with himself, after just _talking_ to Vernon Dursley, he wanted nothing more than to do so. Crimes were not meant to go unpunished, after all, more so if they were committed unjustifiably against the son of someone who had…had meant as much to Xantos as his cousin James Potter had. The cold hazel-eyed Potter would _not_ stand for that.

Lord Voldemort was, of course, a very different case…a _very_ different case.

Either way, as far as Xantos could see, the idiot Black and conformitive Lupin had not been doing their job of defending James' legacy in the least. They had all but given these Dursley's a get-out-of-jail-free card back when they deserved it least…when Harry had been three. …Although that last bit could probably be attributed to Dumbledore. Xantos _knew_ Black, after all. …And Black had likely wanted to tear the Muggles apart for doing what they had done to James' son all those years ago. No, Dumbledore was the worst of them, in the dark golden-brown haired Potter's opinion.

So, yes, he genuinely wanted to end things now, finish this and be done - that way he could return to his daily routine. But good things came to those who waited… And besides, Black and Lupin were learning the much-needed value of appreciation...a very important lesson indeed. They could do with another day of torture. It would ready them, at least, for when Voldemort _did_ get his hands on Harry. Because Merlin knew it was only a matter of time… Especially with that Hogwarts teacher Quirrell stumbling across the Dark Lord's hide away over the summer. Such an idiot...he'll likely be the next in line for possession when the body the Dark Lord inhabited currently finally wore out.

All these thoughts came and went through the Death Eater's mind in the span of mere seconds, while he had completely ignored the Dursley's blubbering of 'not being worried', before he grinned, cutting the man's words off, "You know, I think I'll go on up and see him."

"B-but the mongrel!" Vernon's eyes widened a fraction. Who would assure them 'no court hearing' if Xantos got eaten?

"Your _concern_ touches me…really. But I'll be fine."

Perhaps ending this whole thing tonight would _actually_ be best…patience had never been the best of the Potter's traits.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

Xantos could certainly say he had not expected less of a greeting. He might have actually been dissatisfied otherwise. As it were, the door had been unlocked – as it had been in need of being, no doubt – and the Potter had smoothly pushed it open, stepping into the moonlit room as easily as he might have stepped into his own quarters at Malfoy Manor. He had barely closed the door behind him however, before the momentarily shocked bluish-grey eyed canine that had been curled at the foot of the bed Harry was on had snapped up, ears flat on it's head, and lunged at him with his teeth barred.

A smirk spread across the stationary hazel-eyed male's lips…again, he _knew_ Sirius, and the Black did not disappoint.

The canine Animagus transformed mid-jump, landing cleanly in front of the Death Eater and shoving him furiously against the closed door, face contorted in a snarl. "_You_!" he just short of roared with an over-boiling hatred. _Xantos_ had done this? _Xantos_ had set this up? _Xantos_ had been the reason for the temporary split of their family? It was about as logical as it was confusing – if Xantos had gone to all the trouble of setting this up, then why show himself _now_?

"Me," Xantos acknowledged amusedly, before adding, almost secretively, "You _might_ want to tone it down a bit, though… The Dursley's just might think I'm in here with more than a kid and a mutt. _Not_ good."

Sirius scowled, releasing the Potter and drawing his wand in one swift, fluid like movement, leveling it at the other male's chest. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right here…"

Xantos blinked a few times, contemplating this question briefly before sighing with a rueful grin. "I can't think of any good ones at the moment, Black, you've caught me at a late hour. Oh, irony. Fire away as you will."

The Black's eyes narrowed. "Draw your wand."

"I'd rather not…" the Potter replied wryly.

"I'm not going to fight someone who's defenseless," Sirius growled, jabbing the wand a bit harder into his former schoolmate's chest.

"Which is why I believe both of us better off if I kindly _refrain_ from drawing…Harry _might_ not like me as much anymore if he found out _I _had been the one to hurt you," Xantos chuckled darkly at this, smirking once more at the slight widening of the Black's eyes.

"What are you _talking_ about?" Sirius asked guardedly...the sense of uncertainty underneath his tone only made this more entertaining for Xantos. "Harry…Harry doesn't even _know_ you!"

"Ah…I'm sure that's how you'd like things, Black. You probably haven't even _mentioned_ me to him. How thoughtless," Xantos sneered, bringing a hand up to roughly push the wand at his chest down and away, dusting his shirt off. Sirius kept his gaze on the Potter, but allowed his wand to stay at his side…it was not like he was going to hex the man at this precise moment, anyway, not with his head swimming in this lake of confusion it had been shoved into.

"Harry and I know each other _so_ well, that it could almost be proposed that we've lived together for the past five years."

Sirius shook his head incredulously at this impossible revelation. "That's not…"

"He's quite fond of me, actually. But I'm afraid he's so much like James in some areas that it almost stings. Have you noticed their differences and similarities, _Paddy_? I don't doubt it. One thing, though…the main one, maybe…Harry cares so much about you that my friendship with him would undoubtedly be _over_ if you and I fought and you got hurt…wouldn't _that_ be a terribly close repeat of history? Not exact, but...close. First you get James, and then you get Harry…you're quite the little _Black_ abyss. A Potter makes the mistake of falling in and ends up _dead_."

"Bastard," Sirius snarled, and the two men had their wands – the Black had not even seen Xantos finally draw his – at each other's throats in an instant. "What happened to 'refraining'?" the canine Animagus glared.

"_I'm_ not an idiot. There's a time and a season for everything," Xantos replied easily.

"…Padfoot?" came the uncertain voice of Harry. The Potter heir was definitely relieved to wake up and see him and not his relatives…

The two glaring adults broke away, lowering their wands almost simultaneously, eyes snapping to the young Potter.

"…Xantos?? …Am I…still sleeping?"

Sirius looked guardedly horrified at this question – through dreams! _Bloody friggin' hell_! - shaking his head. Harry _did_ know his second cousin… This could _not _be happening…

"Not this time, little Jamie…" Xantos answered with a somewhat sad smile as he took in the child's bruised appearance, taking a step towards the boy.

"Get back," Sirius ordered dangerously, raising his wand once more at the Death Eater.

Xantos amusedly complied, gaze not wavering form the somewhat confused Harry. "What'd I tell you," he muttered, loud enough to be heard by the two, bringing a hand up to cup around the side of his mouth so as to hide it childishly from Sirius. "He hates me," he murmured, pointing a few times at the Black with his wand hand.

Harry was not sure whether to smile or frown at the validity of that. …After all, Xantos had always _said_ Padfoot and Moony hated him, but…to feel it – and Sirius' emotions were definitely full of it in regards to Xantos – was a somewhat depressing realization. The tension in the room was the highest the young Potter had ever felt. ...Merlin he was confused.

"Don't talk to him, Prongslet, it's _his_ fault you're even here! _He's _the one who told your aunt and uncle they should write to Dumbledore. He's a Death Eater for Voldemort! _He's _the one who doesn't want you with us," Sirius conveyed earnestly.

Harry's emerald green eyes widened a fraction at this news, and Xantos sent the Black a harsh glare.

"Now that's taking things to the extreme, I'd say! You shouldn't talk about things you don't fully understand, _Black_," Xantos hissed, before shifting his gaze back to Harry who looked a mixture between confused, hurt, and thunderstruck. "I'll explain things to you better when it's just us, kid, in the clearing. Your Godfather's got things jumbled like usual. I…well, I _did_ make sure you had to come here," he admitted reluctantly, pausing briefly before adding, "But it was to make sure you never had to see these Muggles again afterwards. To show them what an eye for an eye was all about. ...And to help teach some new things to Draco that he'd come and teach to you. …You enjoyed the power sharing, didn't you?"

"I..." Attempting to comprehend a barrage of information was proving to be extremely difficult for the young Potter, and so he just bit his lip uncertainly.

Sirius opened his mouth to retort to this, but was cut off as the door to the room was swung open to reveal one Petunia Dursley. "Who in the world is in--!" she shrieked…and it was the last time she ever would, because Xantos Potter leveled his wand on her...and she saw green. Her husband would likely not be as fortunate.

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**A/N: **Hot damn… I've gotta end this here. xD And this…is your chapter forty! –Nods.- Lots of info, and lots of…no-info. I _would _have finished and posted this yesterday, buuuuuuuttttt…I got extremely sidetracked on YouTube watching this show by a YouTuber named 'sxephil' who is quite possibly the next best thing for me to stumble upon since Dane Cook. But…er…enough about me and the things I find entertaining online. LOL.

M'not sure whether this chapter's ending would be considered a cliffie or not…erm…I don't _think_ it is, but…you never know. xD

Anywho, as always, I adore hearing your thoughts on the chapters, and the same applies here. :-)

Now onto this chapter's Curiosity Filler!

"If you had been able/could be able – dunno what age you all are – to attend Hogwarts, what House would you have likely been Sorted into?"

And, of course, as I'm sure you know by now, I shall reply with my answer once you tell me yours

Until next time, dear Readers,

-Chloe

-Japanime1


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